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TRAVELS 


WORTH  AMERICA, 

IN  THE 

YEARS  1827  AND  1828. 


BY  CAPTAIN  BASIL,  HALL. 

BOYAL  NAVY. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES* 

VOL.  I. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

an REY,  LEA  & CAREY, — CHESNUT  STREET. 


0 

0 


PREFACE* 


The  chief  object  I had  in  view  in  visiting  Ame- 
rica was  to  see  things  with  my  own  eyes,  in  order 
to  ascertain,  by  personal  inspection,  how  far  the 
sentiments  prevalent  in  England  with  respect  to 
that  country  were  correct  or  otherwise. 

To  avoid  all  undue  influence,  I considered  it 
best  to  defer  reading  the  works  of  preceding 
travellers,  until  I should  have  formed  my  own  opi- 
nions on  the  subject;  but  I found  so  much  plea- 
sure during  the  journey,  from  the  freshness  of 
original  and  unbiassed  observation,  that  on  my 
return  I resolved  to  persevere  in  this  self-denial 
somewhat  longer,  that  my  narrative  also  might 
be  derived,  as  far  as  possible,  from  those  local 
sources  of  information  which  had  fallen  within 
the  reach  of  my  own  inquiries. 

The  habits  of  an  active  professional  life  having 
put  it  out  of  my  power  to  study  in  the  closet  many 
of  the  subjects  discussed  in  these  volumes,  1 have 
endeavoured,  in  touching  them,  to  supply  the  want 
of  reading,  by  availing  myself  of  a pretty  exten- 
sive acquaintance  with  the  actual  workings  of 
numerous  other  political  and  moral  experiments, 
which  chance  has  thrown  in  my  way  in  different 
quarters  of  the  globe. 

What  might  have  been  the  effect  of  combining 
the  experience  of  others,  with  the  result  of  my 


IV 


PREFACE. 


own  researches,  I cannot  pretend  to  say.  On  the 
present  occasion,  I have  merely  endeavoured  to 
describe  things  as  I saw  them,  and  to  add  such 
reflections  as  were  suggested  on  the  spot,  or  have 
since  arisen  in  my  mind. 

As  considerable  misconception  appears  to  pre- 
vail in  England  respecting  the  financial  affairs  of 
the  United  States,  I have  taken  pains  to  collect 
authentic  accounts  of  the  revenue  and  expendi- 
ture of  that  country.  The  details,  as  far  as  I 
have  obtained  them,  are  given  in  a tabular  form 
at  the  end  of  the  second  volume. 

During  the  journey,  f had  opportunities  of 
making  some  sketches  with  the  Camera  Lucida, 
an  instrument  invented  by  the  late  Dr.  Wollaston. 
But  I have  thought  it  best,  instead  of  encumber- 
ing this  work  with  drawings  of  such  slender  pre- 
tensions,  to  publish,  in  a separate  form,  a selec- 
tion of  those  which  appeared  most  characteristic. 

I beg  leave,  before  parting,  to  say  one  word  to 
my  kind  friends  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

I have  studiously  avoided  mentioning  circum- 
stances, or  even  making  allusions,  calculated  to 
give  pain  to  any  person;  and  although  I dare 
scarcely  hope  that  my  account  will  be  very  po- 
pular in  America,  I shall  deeply  lament  having 
written  on  the  subject  at  all,  if  these  pages  shall 
be  thought  to  contain  a single  expression  incon- 
sistent with  the  gratitude,  which,  in  common  with 
my  family,  I must  ever  feel  for  the  attention  and 
hospitality  we  received  from  the  Americans,  or 
with  the  hearty  good-will  we  bear  to  every  indi- 
vidual whom  we  met  with  in  their  widely  extends 
ed  country. 


Edinburgh,  15th  June,  1829, 


CONTENTS 


OF  VOLUME  FIRST. 


CHAPTER  I. 

New  York,  5— Fires,  14 — House  of  Refuge,  17 — High  Schools,  18'— 
Moving  a House,  24. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Hudson  River,  28 — Penitentiary  or  State  Prison  at  Sing  Sing,  31. 

CHAPTER  III. 

West  Point,  46 — Albany,  56— -Trip  to  Massachusetts,  58 — A Travel- 
ler’s duties,  60— Shakers  of  Lebanon,  62. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Schenectady,  63 — Trenton  Falls,  68 — Newly  cleared  land,  71 —Ca- 
nandaigua, 78 — Rochester,  83. 

CHAPTER  Y. 

Village  of  Rochester,  87 — Ridge  Road,  90 — Erie  Canal,  93. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Falls  of  Niagara,  95 — Villa  in  the  Forest,  109— -English  travellers  in 
America,  111. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Welland  and  other  Canals  in  Canada,  113, 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Expedition  to  the  Grand  River,- 125 — Defences  of  Canada,  131. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Burlington  Ray,  133 — Mississagua  Indians,  136— York,  138 — Holland’s 
Landing,  140— Passage  of  La  Riviere  Rouge,  142 — Preaching  in 
the  forest,  145. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Visit  to  the  Emigrants  sent  out  by  Government  in  1825,  147. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Details  of  the  progress  of  new  Settlements  in  Canada,  160. 

1* 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Last  view  of  Niagara,  184— Sackett’s  Harbour,  186— Batteaux  on  the 
St.  Lawrence,  189 — Public  Dinner  at  Brockville,  191— Rapids  of 
the  St.  Lawrence,  194. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Montreal,  198— Canadian  Voyageurs,  199— Quebec,  202 — Falls  of 
Montmorency,  205 — Village  of  Lorette,  209. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Advantage  of  the  British  North  American  Colonies  to  England,  and 
of  England  to  those  Colonies,  210. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Lake  George,  220 — Lake  Champlain,  221 — Springs  of  Saratoga,  222 
—Ignorance  of  America  in  England,  224 — And  of  England  in  Ame- 
rica, 228. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Albany,  232 — Legislature  of  New  York,  232 — Mutual  Misunderstand- 
ing between  the  Americans  and  the  English,  240. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Court  of  Errors  at  Albany,  245 — Presidential  Election,  249. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Stockbridge,  254 — Cattle  Show,  256 — Intemperate  Use  of  Ardent 
Spirits,  260. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Northampton,  264— Mount  Holyoke,  265 — Worcester,  269 — Ameri- 
can Tariff,  269. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Boston,  274 — Unitarianism  in  the  United  States,  274. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Boston,  280 — Harvard  College,  284 — Hospital,  286 — Manufactories  a.t 
Lowell,  286. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Salem,  288— Navy  Yard  at  Charlestown,  290 — Influence  of  Females 
in  Society,  294. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Schools  at  Boston,  300 — Education  in  America,  304, 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Boston,  309 — Institutions  at  Hartford,  312 — Newhaven,  318. 


TRAVELS 


1ST 

THE  UNITED  STATES* 


CHAPTER  I. 

On  Tuesday  morning  the  17th  of  April  1827,  I embarked 
at  Liverpool,  with  my  wife  and  child,  on  board  the  good 
ship  Florida,  whereof  Mr.  John  Tinkham  was  master,  and 
sailed  for  America,  with  a light  fair  wind,  which  carried  us 
about  one-third  of  the  way  across  the  Atlantic.  And  at 
sunset  on  the  15th  of  May,  after  a voyage  of  twenty-eight 
days,  we  passed  Sandy  Hook  Light-house,  at  the  entrance 
of  the  harbour  of  New  York. 

The  proper  day  of  sailing  from  England,  according  to 
the  regulations  of  the  weekly  packets,  was  the  16th  of  the 
month}  but  owing  to  some  difficulty  about  collecting  the 
crew,  we  lost  twenty-four  precious  hours,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  an  easterly  wind.  Another  ship,  however,  better 
prepared,  warped  out  of  the  dock,  proceeded  to  sea  on  that 
day,  and  by  this  apparently  trivial  advantage,  contrived  to 
get  into  what  seamen  call  a vein  of  wind,  and  arrived  nine 
days  before  us:  thus  showing  that  in  nautical,  as  well  as  in 
other  matters,  it  is  wreli  to  take  time  by  the  forelock}  a les- 
son we  resolved  to  profit  by  in  our  future  journey. 

It  was  quite  dark  before  the  ship  was  brought  to  an  an- 
chor, off  the  town  of  New  York,  so  that  we  missed  seeing 
the  beauties  of  the  approach,  described  to  us  in  terms  of 
great  rapture  by  some  of  the  passengers,  to  whom  the  scene 
was  not  new.  In  strictness,  it  was  not  altogether  new  to 
me}  for  I had  gone  over  the  same  ground  some  two  or  three- 
and-twenty  years  before,  when  a midshipman  of  the  Lean- 
der,  Flag-ship,  of  the  Halifax  station.  But  my  recollections 
were  so  vague  and  indistinct,  and  every  thing  appeared  so 
much  altered,  that  I could  scarcely  recognise  at  first  many 
objects,  which,  after  a little  time,  were  revived,  or  seemed 
to  be  revived,  in  my  memory,  where  they  must  have  slept 
for  nearly  a quarter  of  a century. 

Vol.  i.  2 


6 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


I had  reason  to  fancy,  however,  that  a still  more  irnpoF* 
tant  change  had  taken  place  in  my  feelings,  with  respect  to 
the  country  I was  revisiting.  And  it  is  perhaps  right  to 
state,  thus  early,  what  were  my  sentiments  and  opinions  at 
these  two  distant  periods. 

In  former  days,  I confess  I was  not  very  well  disposed 
to  the  Americans;  a feeling  shared  with  all  my  companions 
on  board,  and  probably  also  with  most  of  my  superiors. 
But  as  the  duties  of  a varied  service,  in  after  years,  threw 
me  far  from  the  source  at  which  these  national  antipathies 
had  been  imbibed,  they  appeared  gradually  to  dissipate 
themselves,  in  proportion  as  my  acquaintance  with  other 
countries  was  extended,  and  I had  learned  to  think  better 
of  mankind  in  general.  Thus,  in  process  of  time,  I came 
to  view  with  regret  the  prevalence  in  others  of  those  hos- 
tile sentiments  I had  myself  relinquished.  My  next  anx- 
iety naturally  was,  to  persuade  others,  that  there  really 
were  no  just  grounds  for  the  mutual  hostility  so  manifestly 
existing  between  America  and  England.  To  speak  more 
correctly,  I could  not  help  believing,  that,  in  spite  of  the 
great  differences  in  the  geographical  and  political  situation 
of  the  two  countries,  there  must  still  be  so  many  circum- 
stances in  v'hich  they  agreed,  that  if  the  merits  of  both 
were  respectively  explained,  there  would  spring  up  more 
cordiality  between  them;  a state  of  things  which  I took  it 
for  granted  must  be  advantageous  to  both  countries. 

These  speculative  views,  were  further  confirmed  by  the 
report  of  the  Americans  1 met  with  from  time  to  time,  all 
of  whom  gave  the  most  animating  and  unqualified  praise  to 
their  country  and  its  institutions;  accompanied,  invariably, 
by  vehement  denunciations  against  the  whole  race  of  tra- 
vellers, whose  statements  they  represented  as  being,  with- 
out exception,  false  and  slanderous,  and  consequently,  as 
doing  their  country  no  justice.  So  much,  indeed,  w^as  I 
persuaded  of  the  truth  of  these  statements,  that,  from  a 
desire  to  think  wrell  of  the  country,  I avoided  reading  any 
of  the  Travels  in  question,  and  rather  chose  to  form  my 
opinions  mainly  from  the  accounts  of  the  Americans  them- 
selves. 

At  length,  on  the  occurrence  of  an  interval  of  profes- 
sional leisure,  I resolved  to  investigate  this  interesting  sub- 
ject for  myself;  for  I found  very  few  people  in  England  of 
iny  way  of  thinking.  Accordingly  I set  out  for  America, 
with  the  confident  expectation,  not  only  of  finding  ample 
materials  for  justifying  these  favourable  impressions  adopt- 
ed from  the  Americans,  but  of  being  able,  by  a fair  state- 


UNITED  STATES. 


7 


Bient  of  the  facts  of  the  case,  to  soften  in  some  degree  the 
asperity  of  that  ill-will,  of  which  it  was  impossible  to  deny 
the  existence,  and  which  was  looked  upon  by  many  persons 
in  both  countries  as  a serious  international  evil. 

Probably,  therefore,  there  seldom  was  a traveller  who  vi- 
sited a foreign  land  in  a more  kindly  spirit.  I was  really 
desirous  of  seeing  every  thing,  relating  to  the  people,  coun- 
try, and  institutions,  in  the  most  favourable  lights  and  was 
resolved  to  use  my  best  endeavours  to  represent  to  my  coun- 
trymen what  was  good,  in  colours  which  might  incline  them 
to  think  the  Americans  more  worthy  of  regard  and  confi- 
dence, than  they  generally  were  esteemed  in  England.  It 
was  also  part  of  my  project,  if  possible,  to  convince  the 
Americans  themselves,  that  the  English  were  willing  to 
think  well  of  them,  and  were  sincerely  anxious  to  be  on 
good  terms,  if  they  could  only  see  just  grounds  for  a change 
of  sentiment.  Such  were  the  hopes  and  wishes  with  which 
I landed  in  America. 

A thousand  years  would  not  wipe  out  the  recollection  of 
our  first  breakfast  at  New  York.  At  eight  o’clock  we  hur- 
ried from  the  packet,  and  though  certainly  I most  devoutly 
love  the  sea,  which  has  been  my  home  for  more  than  half 
my  life,  I must  honestly  acknowledge  having  leaped  on 
shore  with  a light  heart,  after  four  weeks  of  confinement. 
Few  naval  officers,  I suspect,  be  they  ever  so  fond  of  their 
business  afloat,  ever  come  to  relish  another  ship,  after  com- 
manding one  of  their  own. 

The  Florida,  our  good  packet,  during  the  night  had  been 
drawn  alongside  of  the  wharf,  so  that  we  had  nothing  more 
to  do  than  step  on  shore,  stow  ourselves  into  a hackney 
coach,  and  drive  off.  This  carriage  was  of  the  nicest  de- 
scription, open  both  in  front,  and  at  the  sides,  and  was 
drawn  by  small,  sleek,  high-bred  horses,  driven  by  a mulat- 
to, whose  broken  lingo  reminded  me  of  the  West  Indies. 

As  we  passed  along,  many  things  recalled  the  sea-ports 
of  England  to  my  thoughts,  although  abundant  indications 
of  another  country  lay  on  all  hands.  The  signs  over  the 
shop  doors  were  written  in  English;  but  the  language  we 
heard  spoken  was  different  in  tone  from  what  we  had  been 
accustomed  to.  Still  it  was  English.  Yet  there  was  more 
or  less  of  a foreign  air  in  all  we  saw,  especially  about  the 
dress  and  gait  of  the  men.  Negroes  and  negresses  also 
were  seen  in  abundance  on  the  wharfs.  The  form  of  most 
of  the  wheeled  carriages  was  novel;  and  we  encountered 
several  covered  vehicles,  on  which  was  written  in  large 
characters,  ICE.  I was  amused  by  observing  over  one  of 


TRAVELS  IK  TSLf 


8 

the  stores,  as  the  shops  are  called,  a great,  staring,  well- 
wigged  figure  painted  on  the  sign,  under  which  was  writ- 
ten, Lord  Eldon.  A skinny  row  of  white  law  books  ex- 
plained  the  mystery.  The  whole  seemed  at  times,  more 
like  a dream  than  a sober  reality.  For  there  was  so  much 
about  it  that  looked  like  England,  that  we  half  fancied  our- 
selves back  again;  and  yet  there  was  quite  enough  to  show 
in  the  next  instant,  that  it  was  a very  different  country. 
This  indistinct,  dreamy  kind  of  feeling,  lasted  for  several 
days;  after  which  it  gradually  faded  away  before  a different 
Set  of  impressions,  which  will  be  described  in  their  turn. 

But  I am  quite  forgetting  the  glorious  breakfast!  We 
liad  asked  merely  for  some  fresh  shad,  a fish  reported  to  be 
excellent,  as  indeed  it  proved.  But  a great  steaming,  juicy 
Beefsteak,  also  made  its  appearance,  flanked  by  a dish  of 
mutton  cutlets.  The  Shad  is  a native  of  the  American  wa- 
ters, I believe  exclusively,  and  if  so,  it  is  almost  worthy  of 
a voyage  across  the  Atlantic  to  make  its  acquaintance.  To 
these  viands  were  added  a splendid  arrangement  of  snow- 
white  rolls,  regiments  of  hot  toast,  with  oceans  of  tea  and 
coffee.  I have  not  much  title,  they  tell  me,  to  the  name  of 
gourmand,  or  epicure;  nevertheless,  I do  frankly  plead 
guilty  to  having  made  upon  this  occasion  a most  enormous 
Breakfast;  as  if  resolved  to  make  up  at  one  unconscionable 
meal,  the  eight-and-twenty  preceding  unsatisfactory  diur- 
nal operations  of  this  nature,  which  had  intervened  since 
our  leaving  the  good  cheer  of  Liverpool.  No  ship,  indeed, 
could  be  more  bountifully  supplied  than  our  packet;  but, 
alas  for  the  sea!  manage  it  as  you  will,  the  contrast  between 
if  and  the  shore,  I am  sorry  to  say,  is  very  great.  Nothing 
but  shame,  I suspect,  prevented  me  from  exhausting  the 
patience  of  the  panting  waiters,  by  further  demands  for 
toast,  rolls,  and  fish;  and  I rose  at  last  with  the  hungry 
edge  of  appetite  taken  off,  not  entirely  blunted.  The  lux- 
ury of  silver  forks  and  spoons,  Indian  china  tea-cups,  a da- 
mask table-cloth,  in  rooms  free  from  any  close,  tarry, 
pitchy,  remainder-biscuit  smell,  space  to  turn  about  in,  soft 
seats  to  loll  upon,  and  firm  ground  on  which  to  stand,  with 
the  addition  of  the  aforesaid  magnificent  meal,  formed  alto- 
gether, whether  from  contrast  or  from  intrinsic  excellence, 
as  lively  a picture  of  Mahomet’s  sensual  paradise  as  could 
foe  imagined. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning  I walked  to  the  Custom 
House  with  a very  obliging  person  for  whom  I had  brought 
tetters;  and  it  is  due  to  the  public  functionaries  of  that  es- 
tablishment to  say,  that  I do  not  remember  having  been 


UNITED  STATES. 


9 


more  civilly  treated  in  the  teasing  matter  of  trunks  and 
boxes,  in  any  one  of  the  numerous  countries  in  which  I 
have  had  to  undergo  the  tormenting  ordeal  of  being  over- 
hauled. My  friend  merely  stated,  that  I came  to  America 
as  a traveller,  without  any  view  to  trade,  and  that  the  lug- 
gage specified  in  the  list  contained  nothing  but  wearing  ap- 
parel. A few  magical  words  were  then  written  by  the  col- 
lector to  the  examining  officer,  upon  producing  which  every 
thing  was  permitted  to  pass  in  the  most  agreeable  style  pos- 
sible, so  that  not  a fold  of  any  part  of  our  finery  was  dis- 
turbed, or  even  looked  at. 

It  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  have  it  in  my  power  to 
state,  that  in  our  subsequent  long  and  varied  journey,  we 
always  met  with  the  same  obliging  disposition  on  the  part 
of  the  public  officers.  I can  say  the  same  thing  of  most  of 
the  other  persons  to  whom  we  had  occasion  to  apply  for  as- 
sistance-due allowance  being  made  for  those  differences 
of  manners,  and  of  habits,  incident  to  the  various  degrees 
of  civilization  with  which  we  chose,  of  our  own  free  will 
to  bring  ourselves  in  contact. 

We  soon  found  there  were  different  modes  of  living  at 
the  great  hotels  in  New  York.  . An  immense  table  d’hote 
was  laid  every  day  at  three  o’clock,  for  guests  who  did  not 
lodge  in  the  house,  but  merely  took  their  meals  there.  I 
have  seen  from  sixty  to  a hundred  persons  seated  at  one  of 
those  tables.  There  was  also  a smaller  and  less  public  din- 
ner for  the  boarders  in  the  house.  If  any  of  these  persons, 
however,  chose  to  incur  the  additional  expense  of  a private 
parlour,  which  was  about  two  dollars,  or  nine  shillings  a 
day  extra,  they  might  have  their  meals  separately. 

On  the  17th  of  May,  at  eight  o’clock,  which  is  the  break- 
fast hour  at  New  York,  we  went  down  to  the  room  where 
the  other  lodgers  were  already  assembled  to  the  number  of 
twelve  or  fourteen.  Our  main  object  was  to  get  acquainted 
with  some  of  the  natives,  and  this,  we  imagined,  would  be 
the  easiest  thing  in  the  world.  But  our  familiar  designs 
were  all  frustrated  by  the  imperturbable  silence  and  gravi- 
ty of  the  company.  At  dinner,  which  was  at  three  o’clock, 
we  were  again  baffled  by  the  same  cold  and  civil  but  very 
unsociable  formality.  All  attempts  to  set  conversation  in 
motion  proved  abortive;  for  each  person  seemed  intent  ex- 
clusively on  the  professed  business  of  the  meeting,  and 
having  despatched,  in  all  haste,  what  sustenance  was  re- 
quired, and  in  solemn  silence,  rose  and  departed.  It  might 
have  been  thought  we  had  assembled  rather  for  the  purpose  of 

2* 


10 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


inhuming  the  body  of  some  departed  friend,  than  of  merri- 
ly keeping  alive  the  existing  generation. 

A young  American  naval  officer,  with  whom  I had  formed 
a most  agreeable  and  useful  friendship,  was  good  enough  to 
accompany  me  after  breakfast  to  the  dock-yard,  or,  as  it  is 
more  correctly  called,  the  navy-yard — for  there  are  no 
docks  in  America — at  Brooklyn  on  Long  Island.  We  had 
to  cross  two  ferries  in  the  course  of  the  day,  in  double  or 
twin-boats,  worked  by  steam,  with  the  paddle  wheel  in  the 
centre^  The  most  curious  thing  I saw  during  this  agreea- 
ble ramble,  was  a floating  wharf,  made  of  wood,  the  inner 
end  of  which  was  attached  to  the  edge  of  the  quay,  by 
means  of  strong  hinges,  while  the  outer  end,  supported  on 
a large  air  vessel,  or  float,  rose  and  sunk  with  the  tide.  At 
high  water  the  wharf  stood  on  a level  with  the  shore;  but 
when  it  fell,  the  surface  of  the  wharf  had  a considerable  in- 
clination, though  not  more  than  could  be  easily  overcome 
by  the  carriages  and  carts,  which  drove  in  and  out  of  the 
ferry-boat  at  all  times,  with  nearly  equal  facility. 

The  officers  of  the  navy-yard  were  most  kind  and  atten- 
tive, and  showed  every  thing  I wished  to  see,  without  the 
slightest  reserve,  and  with  such  entire  frankness,  that  I 
felt  no  scruple  in  examining  the  whole  establishment. 
Amongst  other  things,  I of  course  visited  the  great  steam- 
frigate,  the  Fulton,  intended,  I believe,  as  a floating  bat- 
tery for  the  defence  of  New  York.  This  singular  vessel  is 
of  the  double  construction,  with  a paddle-wheel  in  the  mid- 
dle, placed  beyond  the  reach  of  shot.  The  machinery  is 
also  secured  in  like  manner,  by  a screen  of  oak,  indepen- 
dently of  the  ship’s  bends  or  sides,  which  are  five  feet  in 
thickness,  formed  of  successive  layers  of  thick  planks,  dis- 
posed alternately  lengthwise  and  vertically.  This  wooden 
wall  affords  a defence,  as  I am  told  by  engineers,  not  per- 
vious even  to  a cannon-shot  fired  at  point  blank  distance. 
I afterwards  went  over  several  line-of-battle  ships  and  fri- 
gates, most  of  them  constructed  of  live  oak,  a timber  which 
grows  only  in  the  southern  states,  and  is  admirably  suited 
to  such  purposes,  from  its  durability  and  strength. 

I called  in  the  course  of  the  morning  on  Mr.  De  Witt 
Clinton,  the  governor  of  the  State  of  New  York.  I was 
no  less  surprised  than  pleased  with  the  affability  of  his  man- 
ners, and  the  obliging  interest  he  took  in  my  journey;  for 
I had  happened  to  hear  him  described  only  by  persons  op- 
posed to  him  in  politics,  and  I had  not  yet  learnt  to  dis- 
trust such  reports  of  men  so  distinguished  in  public  life  as 
the  late  Mr.  Clinton.  He  offered  me  introductions  to  va- 


UNITED  STATES. 


11 


rious  parts  of  the  country,  and  undertook  to  assist  my  re- 
searches; a promise  which  he  fulfilled  to  the  very  hour  of 
his  death,  about  a year  afterwards. 

The  high  personal  esteem  I felt  for  Mr.  Clinton,  and  the 
respect  in  which,  in  common  with  so  many  of  his  country- 
men, and  all  strangers  who  had  the  advantage  of  his  ac- 
quaintance, I must  ever  hold  his  memory,  induce  me  to 
make  an  exception  to  the  rule  I have  laid  down,  not  to  men- 
tion by  name,  or  by  personal  allusion,  any  of  my  private 
friends  in  America.  It  is  very  true,  there  is  often  consi- 
derable difficulty,  as  well  as  inconvenience,  in  adhering  to 
this  restriction,  and  often  much  loss  perhaps,  on  the  score 
of  authority.  I have,  however,  seen,  in  the  course  of  my 
life,  so  much  pain  caused  by  the  intrusive  nature  of  such 
remarks,  whether  of,  praise  or  of  censure,  that  I think  it 
best,  in  order  to  avoid  all  cause  of  offence,  to  say  nothing, 
direct  or  indirect,  which  can  implicate  personally  any  one 
with  whom  I have  made  acquaintance  in  America.  My  ob- 
servations, therefore,  whether  laudatory  or  otherwise,  I have 
confined  as  much  as  possible  to  those  broad  features  which 
characterize  the  country  generally. 

It  is  difficult  to  adhere  to  this  prudent  rule,  without  at 
the  same  time  neglecting  one  of  the  duties  of  a traveller, 
at  least  if  any  description  of  manners  is  expected  at  his 
hands.  For  how  is  he  to  furnish  his  pictures  of  society 
without  going  into  company,  and  by  reporting  what  he  sees 
there,  acting  more  or  less  the  ungenerous  part  of  a spy?— 
The  Americans,  indeed,  assured  me  again  and  again,  that 
they  had  no  sort  of  objection  to  this  scrutiny,  provided  it 
were  made  with  fairness  and  due  allowances  for  them,  and 
the  results  reported  without  flippancy,'  or  sarcasm,  or  odi- 
ous and  wanton  comparisons.  As  a proof  of  their  sinceri- 
ty, they  not  unfrequently  urged  me  to  speak  fairly  out  in 
their  presence,  and  to  give  my  opinions  fully  upon  all  I 
saw,  public  and  private.  The  question,  44  What  do  you 
think  of  us  upon  the  whole  ?”  was  accordingly  put  to  me 
every  day,  and  almost  in  every  company.  But  I am  sorry 
that  truth  compels  me  to  add,  that  whenever  the  reply  which 
this  abrupt  and  rather  startling  question  elicited,  was  not 
one  of  unqualified  praise,  a certain  painful  degree  of  dis- 
satisfaction was  produced.  My  reason  for  being  sorry  is, 
that  it  prevents  me  from  writing  with  the  freedom  which 
might  be  used  in  treating  of  any  other  country,  in  none  of 
which  does  there  exist  such  an  excessive,  and  universal  sen- 
sitiveness as  to  the  opinions  entertained  of  them  by  the 
English.  It  may  be  remarked  in  passing,  that  they  appear 


12 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


to  care  less  for  what  is  said  of  them  bj  other  foreigners: 
but  it  was  not  until  I had  studied  this  curious  feature  in  the 
American  character  long  and  attentively,  and  in  all  parts 
of  their  country,  that  1 came  to  a satisfactory  explanation 
of  it. 

With  respect  to  any  notice  of  public  affairs,  or  even  to 
those  broad  characteristics  of  domestic  manners,  which  lie 
fairly  open  to  every  man’s  observation,  there  need  be  no 
scruples,  because  I have  reason  to  believe  that  no  sensible 
American  will  find  fault  with  this.  He  may  think  me  quite 
wrong,  or  much  prejudiced;  but  I shall  take  good  care  to 
prevent  its  being  said  with  truth,  that  I have  betrayed  an}r 
confidence.  And,  at  all  events,  whatever  may  be  thought 
or  felt  in  consequence  of  my  strictures,  of  this  I am  sure, 
that  every  American  I conversed  with,  will  do  me  the  jus- 
tice to  recoiled  that  I have  not  held  one  language  in  his 
country,  and  another  in  my  own;  for  every  word  I now 
publish  to  the  world,  I have  repeatedly  and  openly  spoken 
in  company  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States.  Or,  if  there 
be  any  difference  between  the  language  I there  used  in  con- 
versation, and  that  in  which  I now  write,  I am  sure  it  will 
not  be  found  to  consist  in  overstatement,  but  rather  the 
contrary. 

It  often  occasioned  me  much  regret  to  witness  the  disap- 
pointment I was  causing,  by  this  absence  of  reserve  on 
every  subject  whereupon  I v7as  interrogated.  It  will  also 
be  in  the  recollection  of  many  of  my  friends  in  America, 
that  when  I expressed  my  doubts  and  fears  as  to  the  expe- 
diency of  speaking  out  in  this  way,  they  always  strenuous- 
ly urged  me  to  continue  the  same  frankness  throughout  the 
journey;  assuring  me,  that  their  countrymen,  however  na- 
tional, and  however  fond  of  their  institutions,  would  much 
prefer  hearing  them  openly  attacked  to  their  faces,  than  in- 
siduously  commended,  till  a more  convenient  season  should 
arrive  for  reprobating  what  they  held  dear.  Accordingly, 
I took  them  at  their  word,  and  persevered  throughout  the 
journey,  and  never  once  qualified  or  disguised  my  senti- 
ments. And  here  I must  do  the  Americans  the  justice  to 
say,  that  they  invariably  took  my  remarks  in  good  part, 
though  my  opinions,  I could  see,  were  often  not  very  flat- 
tering. I should  fain  hope,  therefore,  that  a similar  spirit 
of  candour  will  now  meet  with  equal  indulgence,  when 
more  deliberately  expressed,  in  strict  accordance  with  their, 
own  repeated  injunctions,  that  I should  state  matters  exact- 
ly as  they  appeared  to  me. 

I have  no  motive,  and  can  have  no  motive,  to  misrepre- 


UNITED  STATES. 


In 

O 

Sent  things  in  America;  still  less  to  wound  the  feelings  of 
any  person  in  a country  where  I was  received  with  such 
uniform  kindness  and  hospitality,  and  towards  which,  as  a 
nation,  I undoubtedly  felt  the  greatest  good-will  on  first 
landing.  If  I no  longer  feel  altogether  as  I did  towards 
that  country,  the  change  is  accompanied  by  far  more  sor- 
row than  any  other  feeling;  and  the  reluctance  with  which 
I now  take  up  my  pen  to  trace  the  gradual  destruction  of 
my  best  hopes  on  the  subject,  is  most  sincere,  and  such  as 
nothing  short  of  a conviction  of  its  being  a duty  to  my  own 
country  could  overcome.  In  what  this  duty  consists  will 
be  seen  in  the  sequel;  and  though  at  this  moment  I scarce- 
ly hope  to  receive  much,  if  any  sympathy,  in  America,  the 
time  must  one  day  come,  when,  if  I be  right,  that  sympa- 
thy will  be  cordially  granted  me. 

I have  thought  it  best,  thus  early,  to  enter  a protest,  as- 
it  may  be  called,  against  the  charge  of  my  writing  with  any 
thing  approaching  to  malice  prepense  against  America.  I 
tell  simply  what  I conscientiously  believe  to  be  the  truth; 
of  course  not  the  whole  truth,  but  assuredly  nothing  but 
the  truth,  and  without  the  slightest  shade  of  ill-will  to  any 
mortal,  in  that  country,  or  indeed  without  any  thing  but 
good-will  to  the  nation  generally,  except  what  may  spring 
from  differences  of  opinion  on  public  grounds. 

Be  all  this,  however,  as  it  may,  we  were  greatly  flatter- 
ed by  the  kindness  of  our  reception  at  New  York;  and  I 
only  regretted  that  my  abstemious  habits  did  so  little  jus- 
tice, in  return,  to  the  goodly  suppers  of  oyster-soup,  ham, 
salads,  lobsters,  ices,  and  jellies,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
champagne,  rich  old  Madeira,  fruits,  and  sweetmeats,  and 
various  other  good  things,  which  were  handed  round  at  all 
the  parties  with  little  intermission,  in  a style  truly  hospita- 
ble and  liberal. 

It  is  often  useful  in  travelling,  to  record  at  the  instant 
those  trivial  but  peculiar  circumstances,  which  first  strike 
the  eye  of  a stranger,  since,  in  a short  time,  they  become 
so  familiar  as  entirely  to  escape  attention.  On  this  princi- 
ple, I amused  myself  one  morning  by  noting  down  a few 
of  the  signs  over  the  shop  doors.  The  following  may,  per- 
haps, interest  some  people. 

Flour  and  Feed  Store — Cheap  Store — Clothing 
Store — Cake  Store  and  Bakery— -Wine  and  Tea 
Store,  all  explain  themselves.  Leather  and  Finding 
Store,  puzzled  me  at  first.  I learned,  upon  inquiry,  that 
finding  means  the  tape  and  other  finishings  of  shoes  and 
boots.  Un current  Nqtes  Bought,  required  investigft*1 


14 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


tion  likewise.  It  seems  that  of  late  years  many  town  and 
country  banks  had  failed,  or  fallen  into  such  bad  repute, 
that  their  notes  were  not  held  as  good  payment  by  the  ge- 
nerality of  people;  while  other  persons,  knowing  exactly 
how  the  case  stood,  were  enabled  to  turn  their  knowledge 
to  account,  and  thus  to  make  a profit  by  buying  up  the  de- 
preciated paper. 

Liberty  Street Amos  Street Thirty-First 

Street— — -Avenue  A,  are  all  more  or  less  characteristic. 
The  following  is  a literal  copy  of  the  sign  before  the  inn 
door  at  Brooklyn,  all  the  places  named  being  on  Long 
Island. 

Coe  S.  Dowling’s  Stage 
& Livery  Stable. 

Horses  and  Carriages  to.be  let. 

Flat  Bush  and  Bath — Hempstead — Jerusalem- — Hemp- 
stead Harbour — Cow  Neck — Westbury — Mosque- 
toe  Cove — Jericho — Dyster  Bay — Huntington— 
Eastwoods — Dixhill — Babylon  and  Islip,  Stage- 
House. 

At  two  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  20th  of  May,  I was 
awakened  by  loud  cries  of  Fire!  fire!  and  started  out  of 
bed,  half  dreaming  that  we  were  still  at  sea,  and  the  pac- 
ket in  flames.  In  a few  minutes  the  deep  rumbling  sound 
of  the  engines  was  heard,  mingling  in  a most  alarming  way 
with  the  cheers  of  the  firemen,  the  loud  rapping  of  the 
watchmen  at  the  doors  and  window-shutters  of  the  sleep- 
ing citizens,  and  various  other  symptoms  of  momentous 
clanger,  and  the  necessity  of  hot  haste. 

So  much  had  been  said  to  me  of  the  activity  and  skill  of 
the  New  York  firemen,  that  I was  anxious  to  see  them  in 
actual  operation;  and  accordingly,  having  dressed  myself 
quickly,  I ran  down  stairs.  Before  I reached  the  outer- 
door,  however,  the  noise  had  well-nigh  ceased;  the  engines 
were  trundling  slowly  back  again,  and  the  people  grum- 
bling, not  without  reason,  at  having  been  dragged  out  of 
bed  to  no  purpose.  Of  this  number  I certainly  was  one, 
but  more  from  what  I had  lost  seeing  than  from  any  other 
cause. 

I was  scarcely  well  asleep  again,  before  a second  and  far 
more  furious  alarm,  brought  all  the  world  to  the  windows. 
The  church  bells  were  clanging  violently  on  all  hands,  and 
the  ear  could  readily  catch,  every  now  and  then,  a fresh 
sound  chiming  in  with  the  uproar  with  much  musical  dis- 


UNITED  STATES. 


15 


tord9  and  all  speaking  in  tones  of  such  vehemence  as  satis- 
fied  me  that  now  there  would  be  no  disappointment. 

On  opening  the  street  door,  I saw  in  the  east  a tall  co- 
lumn  of  black  smoke,  curling  and  writhing  across  the  cold 
morning  sky,  like  a great  snake  attempting  to  catch  the 
moon,  which,  in  her  last  quarter,  was  moving  quietly  along, 
as  if  careless  of  the  increasing  tumult  which  was  fast 
spreading  over  the  city. 

On  the  top  of  the  City  Hall,  one  of  the  finest  of  the  nu- 
merous public  buildings  which  adorn  New  York,  a fire  war- 
den or  watchman  is  constantly  stationed,  whose  duty  when 
the  alarm  is  given,  is  to  hoist  a lantern  at  the  extremity  of 
a long  arm  attached  to  the  steeple,  and  to  direct  it  towards 
the  fire,  as  a sort  of  beacon,  to  instruct  the  engines  what 
course  to  steer.  There  was  something  singularly  striking 
in  this  contrivance,  which  looked  as  if  a great  giant,  with 
a blood-red  finger,  had  been  posted  in  the  midst  of  the  city, 
to  warn  the  citizens  of  their  danger. 

I succeeded  by  quick  running  in  getting  abreast  of  a fire- 
engine;  but  although  it  was  a very  ponderous  affair,  it  was 
dragged  along  so  smartly  by  its  crew  of  some  six-and-twen- 
ty  men,  aided  by  a whole  legion  of  boys,  all  bawling  as 
loud  as  they  could,  that  1 found  it  difficult  to  keep  up  with 
them.  On  reaching  the  focus  of  attraction,  the  crowd  of 
curious  persons  like  myself  began  to  thicken, While  the  en- 
gines came  dashing  in  amongst  us  from  every  avenue,  in 
the  most  gallant  and  business-like  style. 

Four  houses,  built  entirely  of  wmod,  were  on  fire  from  top 
to  bottom,  and  sending  up  a flame  that  would  have  defied  a 
thousand  engines.  But  nothing  could  exceed  the  dauntless 
spirit  with  which  the  attempt  was  made.  In  the  midst  of  a 
prodigious  noise  and  confusion,  the  engines  were  placed 
along  the  streets  in  a line,  at  the  distance  of  about  two 
hundred  feet  from  one  another,  and  reaching  to  the  bank  of 
the  East  River,  as  that  inland  sea  is  called,  which  lies  be- 
tween Long  Island  and  the  main.  The  suction  hose  of  the 
last  engine  in  the  line,  or  that  next  the  stream,  being 
plunged  into  the  river,  the  water  was  drawn  up,  and  then 
forced  along  a leathern  hose  or  pipe  to  the  next  engine,  and 
so  on,  till  at  the  tenth  link  in  this  curious  chain,  it  came 
within  range  of  the  fire.  As  more  engines  arrived,  they 
were  marshalled  by  the  superintendent  into  a new  string; 
and  in  about  five  minutes  after  the  first  stream  of  water  had 
been  brought  to  bear  on  the  flames,  another  was  sucked 
along  in  like  manner,  and  found  its  way,  leap,  by  leap,  to 
the  seat  of  the  mischief. 


16 


'TRAVELS  IN  THE 


I moved  about  amongst  the  blazing  houses  till  driven  back 
by  the  police,  who  laboured  hard  to  clear  the  ground  for  the 
firemen  alone.  On  retiring  reluctantly  from  this  interest- 
ing scene,  I caught  a glimpse  of  a third  jet  of  water  play- 
ing away  upon  the  back  part  of  the  firej  and,  on  going  round 
to  that  quarter,  discovered  that  these  energetic  people  had 
formed  a third  series,  consisting  of  seven  engines,  reaching 
to  a different  bend  of  the  river,  down  some  alley,  and  not 
quite  so  far  olf. 

The  chief  things  to  find  fault  with  on  this  occasion,  were 
the  needless  shouts  and  other  uproarious  noises,  which  ob- 
viously helped  to  exhaust  the  men  at  the  engines,  and  the 
needless  forwardness,  or  it  may  be  called  fool-hardiness, 
with  which  they  entered  houses  on  fire,  or  climbed  upon 
them  by  means  of  ladders,  when  it  must  have  been  appa- 
rent to  the  least  skilful  person,  that  their  exertions  were 
utterly  hopeless.  A small  amount  of  discipline,  of  which, 
by  the  way,  there  was  not  a particle,  might  have  corrected 
tne  noise  $ and  the  other  evil,  I think,  might  have  been  re- 
moved, by  a machine  recently  invented  in  Edinburgh,  and 
found  to  be  efficacious  on  like  occasions. 

At  the  request  of  a Committee  of  the  Fire  Department, 
I afterwards  explained  this  simple  and  excellent  device.  It 
consists  of  a lofty  triangle,  as  it  is  called,  formed  by  three 
long  poles  joined  at  top,  and  carrying  a socket,  through 
which  passes  the  nozzle  or  spout  of  a pipe  connected  with 
an  engine  below.  By  means  of  guys,  or  directing  lines, 
this  spout  may  be  raised,  lowered,  or  turned,  to  the  right 
or  left.  By  means  also  of  a proper  adjustment  of  the  legs, 
two  of  which  may  be  brought  close  to  the  wall  of  the  burn- 
ing house,  and  the  third  pushed  either  backwards  or  for- 
wards, a solid  stream  of  water  can  be  directed,  in  its  un- 
broken state,  full  upon  the  timbers  of  a blazing  roof,  or  it 
may  be  spouted  into  a room  on  fire,  not  only  without  dan- 
ger to  the  firemen,  but  with  much  greater  precision  and  ef- 
fect, than  by  the  ordinary  methods,  which  generally  have 
the  effect  of  scattering  the  water  in  a shower  over  the 
flames,  to  no  purpose. 

The  committee  listened  very  attentively  to  my  lecture, 
and  inspected  the  drawings  made  to  illustrate  what  was 
said.  But  I had  the  mortification,  five  months  afterwards, 
to  see  three  fine  houses  burned  to  the  ground,  two  of  which 
might  have  been  saved,  as  an  old  fireman  assured  me  on 
the  spot,  had  this  contrivance  been  introduced. 

As  I naturally  ascribed  this  indifference  to  the  proposed 
plan,  to  some  want  of  distinctness  in  these  descriptions,  I 


UNITED  STATES. 


17 


lost  do  time  in  writing  home  for  a model  of  the  whole  appa- 
ratus, which  I received  just  before  leaving  America,  and 
left  with  a friend,  to  be  presented  to  the  Fire  Department 
of  New  York.  I hope  they  may  find  it  useful  in  that  city, 
which  seems  to  be  inore  plagued  with  fires  than  any  town 
in  the  world;  and  I shall  be  happy  if  they  will  do  me  the 
kindness  to  permit  copies  or  drawings  of  it  to  be  made  for 
any  other  parts  of  the  Union,  in  which  this  account  may 
happen  to  excite  interest. 

Under  the  guidance  of  one  of  the  most  benevolent  and 
public-spirited  men  in  America,  we  visited  one  day  the  House 
of  Refuge  for  juvenile  delinquents, — -an  excellent  institution 
in  every  respect.  Its  object  is  to  furnish  an  asylum  for 
such  young  offenders  as  may  either  be  released  from  prison, 
or  would,  in  the  regular  course  of  law,  be  sent  there.  For 
a time,  therefore,  the  morals  of  these  boys  are  exempted  from 
the  corruption  of  evil  communication,  and  they  have  a fair 
chance  given  them  for  future  virtue.  They  are  taught  ha- 
bits of  regular  industry,  are  instructed  in  some  useful  pro- 
fession, and  above  all,  are  carefully  trained  to  know  and  to 
feel  the  value  of  piety,  and  consequently  of  virtue  on  it's 
own  account. 

After  a certain  period  of  probation  and  discipline,  bodily 
and  mental,  these  youths  are  bound  out  as  apprentices  to 
trades-people,  who,  it  is  curious  and  most  important  to 
know,  are  generally  w'ell  pleased  to  have  them.  This,  at 
all  events,  is  very  complimentary  to  the  establishment.  If, 
however,  the  masters  or  the  parents  of  the  youths  have  rea- 
son to  believe  their  reformation  not  yet  complete,  they 
are  at  liberty  to  send  the  lads  back  again;  and  in  order  to 
give  due  effect  to  this  arrangement,  the  committee  of  ma- 
nagement are  i n constant  correspond ence  with  the  parties 
under  whose  care  the  boys  are  placed. 

The  immediate  superintendence  of  the  establishment  was, 
at  the  time  we  visited  it,  in  the  hands  of  a clergyman  of 
the  Methodist  persuasion.  I was  at  a loss  which  to  be  most 
pleased  with,  the  patience  and  clear-headed  sagacity  of  this 
amiable  person,  or  the  mixed  gentleness  and  decision  of  his 
deportment,  which  appeared  to  attract  the  confidence  of  the 
boys,  without  diminishing,  on  their  part,  that  respectful  and 
prompt  obedience  absolutely  essential  to  the  good  order  of 
such  a community.  It  must  require  a compact  union  of 
good  feeling  and  good  sense,  and,  I may  add,  of  good  tem- 
per, and  right  principles,  to  make  up  the  character  of  a per- 
feet  jailor  schoolmaster. 

We  also  visited  a similar,  though  not  so  numerous,  an 
Yol.  i.  3 


18 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


establishment  for  girls.  It  seemed  to  be  managed  with 
equal  care;  and  I may  say  of  both,  that  I have  rarely  seen 
in  any  country  institutions  containing  less  admixture  of 
speculative  quackery,  or  better  calculated  to  remedy  ac- 
knowledged evils,  by  getting  at  their  source  and  checking 
their  growth.  A bounty  on  virtue,  in  short,  is  offered  to 
these  young  people,  by  showing  them,  while  their  tastes 
and  habits  are  yet  ductile,  the  practical  advantages  of  good 
conduct. 

Neither  do  I consider  it  the  least  of  the  merits  of  this 
system,  as  applicable  to  America  in  particular,  that  a cer- 
tain amount  of  dependence  on  others,  and  a consequent  dis- 
trust of  themselves,  is  urged  as  a duty  upon  the  earliest  re- 
flections of  these  young  people.  Because,  however  neces- 
sary these  lessons  may  be  thought  to  their  well-being  in  af- 
ter life,  they  certainly  would  have  little  chance  of  being 
taught  such  doctrines  any  where  in  the  United  States,  be- 
yond the  walls  of  the  House  of  Refuge. 

On  our  return  to  the  city,  we  visited  the  High  School, 
the  principle  of  which  is  professedly  taken  from  the  institu- 
tion of  the  same  name  in  Edinburgh.  The  monitorial  plan 
has  been  retained,  with  two  considerable  differences.  To 
each  of  the  classes  or  divisions,  which  consists,  I think  of 
ten  boys,  there  are  two  monitors,  not  one  as  in  Edinburgh. 
One  of  these  is  employed  in  the  strict  monitorial  office  of 
teaching  and  superintending  the  boys  of  his  division;  the 
other  is  engaged  in  a separate  apartment,  not  teaching  but 
being  taught.  Thus  while  one  set  of  the  monitors  are  en- 
gaged in  communicating  to  their  several  divisions  the  les- 
sons taught  them  by  the  master  the  day  before,  the  other, 
or  second  set  of  monitors,  formed  into  a separate  class,  are 
receiving  a dose  of  instruction,  which  it  will  become  their 
duty  to  impart  to  their  divisions  the  next  day. 

The  object  of  this  system,  as  far  as  I understand  it,  is  to 
carry  on  matters  faster  than  by  the  common  method,  w hich, 
it  is  said  by  the  advocates  of  this  double  plan,  has  a ten- 
dency to  keep  back  the  monitors,  who  are  made  drudges  to 
bring  on  the  dunces,  at  a dead  loss  to  themselves.  I am 
not  sufficiently  familiar  with  such  matters  to  say  how  this 
may  be;  but  1 suspect  that,  like  most  complications  in  ma- 
chinery, moral  as  w7ell  as  mechanical,  the  loss  by  unsteadi- 
ness and  want  of  uniformity  of  purpose,  will  more  than 
counteract  the  additional  gain  of  powrer. 

We  then  visited  the  High  School  for  girls.  There  was 
here  no  general  class,  the  whole  being  divided  into  sets  of 
ten,  including  a monitor.  Nothing  could  be  more  quiet, 


UNITED  STATES. 


19 


neat,  or  orderly,  than  this  establishment.  After  the  usual 
routine  of  exhibiting,  the  mistress  asked  me  to  select  some 
piece  for  one  of  the  classes  to  read.  I chose  Campbell’s  Ho* 
henlinden.  On  being  asked  my  opinion  as  to  how  they  exhi- 
bited, I merely  said  the  girls  read  with  a good  deal  of  ex- 
pression and  feeling.  But  I suppose  there  was  something 
in  my  tone  which  did  not  quite  satisfy  the  good  schoolmis- 
tress; for  she  urged  me  to  criticise  any  thing  I disap- 
proved of. 

“Pray,”  said  I,  “is  it  intended  that  the  girls  should 
pronounce  the  words  according  to  the  received  usage  in 
England,  or  according  to  some  American  variations  in  tone 
or  emphasis?” 

“Oh  yes,  certainly,”  cried  she;  66  we  take  Walker  as 
our  standard;  and  I trust— indeed  I am  sure,  you  don’t 
hear  any  thing  to  object  to  on  the  score  of  pronunciation  in 
my  girls;  we  take  particular  care  of  that.  Pray  mention 
it,  sir,  if  you  think  otherwise.”  Thus  appealed  to,  1 
could  not  resist  saying,  that  in  England  the  word  combat 
was  pronounced  as  if  the  o in  the  first  syllable  were  written 
% cumbat;  and  that  instead  of  saying  sMvalry,  the  ch  with 
us  was  sounded  hard,  as  in  the  word  chin;  and  that  I be- 
lieved the  dictionary  alluded  to  would  bear  me  out  in  this* 

“Oh  yes,  sir,  perhaps  he  may  give  these  words  in  that 
way;  but  we  don’t  altogether  follow  Walker.  And,  for  my 
part,”  said  the  mistress,  bridling  a little,  “I  shall  certain- 
ly continue  to  use,  and  to  teach  my  pupils  to  say  combat 
and  sAivalry.” 

I attempted,  idly  enough  perhaps,  to  show  that  a stan- 
dard,  if  it  were  good  for  any  thing,  was  good  for  all  things; 
and  in  order  to  soften  this  dictum,  mentioned  that  we  poor 
Scotch  folks  yielded  up  our  opinions  implicitly  on  all  such 
points  to  the  English. 

But  the  worthy  lady’s  answer  was,  “You  in  Scotland 
may  do  as  you  like,  but  we  Americans  have  a perfect  right 
to  pronounce  our  words  as  we  please.” 

I shrugged  my  shoulders,  and  said  no  more,  of  course;  but 
was  much  amused  afterwards  by  observing,  that  when  one  of 
the  girls  of  the  class  in  question,  a little  sprightly,  wicked- 
looking, red-haired  lassie,  came  in  turn  to  read  the  poem, 
she  gave  to  both  the  words  their  true  interdicted  pronunci- 
ation. She  herself  did  not  dare  to  look  up,  while  guilty  of 
this  piece  of  insubordination;  but  I could  see  each  of  the 
other  girls  peeping  archly  out  of  the  corners  of  their  eves 
in  the  direction  of  the  mistress,  anticipating,  probably,  a 
double  dose  of  good  counsel  afterwards  for  their  pains. 


20 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


By  far  the  most  interesting  school,  however,  which  we 
saw  in  the  course  of  this  busy  day,  was  one  for  the  educa- 
tion of  Negro  and  Mulatto  children,  Poor  little  wretches! 
their  whole  souls — if,  as  Uncle  Toby  says,  they  have  souls — 
were  thrown  into  their  lessons;  and  it  was  delightful  to  see 
them  under  the  guidance  of  a man,  whose  particular  hobby 
was  to  teach  blacks;  and  who  had  devoted  many  years  of  his 
life  exclusively  to  this  subject.  I was  led  to  think  he  had 
a better  taste  in  teaching  than  some  other  persons  we  had 
seen  in  the  course  of  the  morning;  for  when  one  of  the  lit- 
tle quaminos,  in  answer  to  some  question,  made  use  of  a 
common  English  vulgarism,  and  said,  “The  book  is  laying 
there,”  the  master  called  out,  “What!  do  you  mean  the 
book  is  laying  eggs?” 

We  naturally  begged  to  know  whether  or  not  he  had  dis- 
covered any  material  difference  in  the  intellectual  powers 
of  the  blacks  and  whites  at  these  schools.  His  answer  was, 
that  up  to  a certain  age,  that  is  to  say,  as  long  as  they  wrere 
little  children,  there  was  no  difference  perceptible.  As 
they  played  about  together,  and  studied  together,  the  blacks 
were  not  made  to  feel  any  of  those  distinctions  by  which  in 
after  life  their  spirits  were  sure  to  be  crushed  down.  I was 
told,  that  even  in  the  state  of  New  York,  where  negro  sla- 
very has  been  abolished  by  law,  a black  man  meets  with  no 
real  and  effective  sympathy  on  the  part  of  the  white  lords 
of  the  creation.  Consequently,  let  a negro  be  ever  so  in- 
dustrious or  well-informed,  still  he  seems  stamped  for  de- 
gradation, and  thus  has  little  or  no  fair  chance  amongst  the 
whites,  who  will  neither  trust  him,  nor  allow  of  his  trusting 
them.  Thus  mutual  confidence,  which  is  the  most  import- 
ant link  of  civil  society,  is  broken;  and  when  that  is  the 
case,  there  remains,  I fear,  no  other  method  of  attaching 
to  its  interests  a class  so  circumstanced,  between  whom 
and  the  whites  all  fe!lowr-feeling  is  inevitably  prevented 
from  growing  up. 

On  the  21st  of  May,  I accompanied  two  gentlemen,  about 
three  o’clock,  to  a curious  place  called  the  Plate  House,  in 
the  very  centre  of  the  business  part  of  the  busy  town  of 
New  York. 

We  entered  a long,  narrow,  and  rather  dark  room,  or 
gallery,  fitted  up  like  a Coffee  House,  with  a row  of  boxes 
on  each  side  made  just  large  enough  to  hold  four  persons, 
and  divided  into  that  number  by  fixed  arms  limiting  the 
seats.  Along  the  passage,  or  avenue,  between  the  rows  of 
boxes,  which  was  not  above  four  feet  wide,  were  stationed 
sundry  little  boys,  and  two  waiters,  with  their  jackets  off—« 


UNITED  STATES. 


21 


■And  good  need  too,  as  will  be  seen.  At  the  time  we  en- 
tered, all  the  compartments  were  filled  except  one,  of 
which  we  took  possession.  There  was  an  amazing  clatter 
nf  knives  and  forks;  but  not  a word  audible  to  us  was  spo- 
ken by  any  of  the  guests.  This  silence.,  however,  on  the 
part  of  the  company,  was  amply  made  up  for  by  the  rapid 
vociferations  of  the  attendants,  especially  of  the  boys,  who 
were  gliding  i?p  and  down,  and  across  the  passage,  inclining 
their  heads  for  an  instant,  first  to  one  box,  then  to  another, 
and  receiving  the  whispered  wishes  of  the  company,  which 
they  straightway  bawled  out  in  a loud  voice,  to  give  notice 
of  what  fare  was  wanted.  It  quite  baffled  my  comprehen- 
sion to  imagine  how  the  people  at  the  upper  end  of  the  room, 
by  whom  a communication  was  kept  up  in  some  magical 
way  with  the  kitchen,  could  contrive  to  distinguish  between 
one  order  and  another.  It  was  still  more  marvellous,  that 
wdthin  a few  seconds  after  our  wishes  had  been  communh 
cated  to  one  of  the  aforesaid  urchins,  imps,  gnomes,  or 
whatever  name  they  deserve,  the  things  we  asked  for  were 
placed  piping  hot  before  us.  It  was  really  quite  an  Ara- 
bian Night’s  Entertainment,  not  a sober  dinner  at  a chop- 
house. 

The  sole  object  of  the  company  evidently  was  to  get 
through  a certain  quantum  of  victuals  with  as  much  des- 
patch as  possible;  and  as  all  the  world  knows  that  talking 
interferes  with  eating,  every  art  was  used  in  this  said  most 
excellent  Plate  House,  to  utter  as  few  words  as  might  be, 
and  only  those  absolutely  essential  to  the  ceremony. 

In  giving  the  order  to  the  sprites  flitting  about  us,  we 
had  merely  to  name  the  dish  wanted,  which  they  conjured 
to  the  table,  either  in  a single  portion  or  plateful,  or  in  any 
other  quantity,  according  to  the  number  of  the  party.  If  a 
farther  supply  were  wanted,  a half  or  a \yhole  plateful  was 
whispered  for,  and  straightway  it  was  laid  before  us.  We 
had  been  told  by  old  stagers  of  the  excellence  of  the  corned 
beef,  and  said  to  the  boy  we  should  all  three  take  that  dish. 
Off  the  gnome  glanced  from  us  like  a shot,  to  attend  to  the 
beck  of  another  set  of  guests,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
room;  but,  in  flying  across  the  passage,  turned  his  face  to- 
wards the  upper  end  of  the  apartment  and  called  out, 
:u  Three  beef,  8 !”  the  last  word  of  his  sentence  referring  to 
the  number  of  our  box.  In  a trice  we  saw  the  waiters 
gliding  down  the  avenue  to  us,  with  three  sets  of  little  co- 
vered dishes,  each  containing  a plate,  on  which  lay  a large, 
piping  hot  slice  of  beef.  Another  plate  was  at  the  same 
time  given,  with  a moderate  proportion  of  mashed  potatoes 


22 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


on  it,  together  with  a knife,  and  a fork  on  which  was  stuck 
a piece  of  bread.  As  the  waiters  passed  along,  they  took 
occasion  to  incline  their  ears  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  to 
receive  fresh  orders,  and  also  to  snatch  up  empty  tumblers, 
plates,  and  knives,  and  forks.  The  multiplicity  and  rapi- 
dity of  these  orders  and  movements  made  me  giddy.  Had 
there  been  one  set  to  receive  and  forward  the  orders,  and 
another  to  put  them  in  execution,  we  might  have  seen  bet- 
ter through  the  confusion ; but  all  hands,  little  and  big  to- 
gether, were  screaming  out  with  equal  loudness  and  quick- 
ness— ■“  Half  plate  beef,  4 !’’ — “One  potato,  5!” — “Two 
apple  pie,  one  plum  pudding,  8!’?  and  so  on. 

There  could  not  be,  I should  think,  fewer  than  a dozen 
boxes,  with  four  people  in  each;  and  as  every  one  seemed 
to  be  eating  as  fast  as  he  could,  the  extraordinary  bustle 
may  be  conceived.  We  were  not  in  the  house  above  twen- 
ty minutes,  but  we  sat  out  two  sets  of  company  at  least. 
The  bill,  reduced  to  English  money,  was  nine  shillings  and 
sixpence  in  all,  or  three  shillings  and  twopence  each. 

There  may  be,  for  aught  I know,  hundreds  of  such  places 
in  London,  Liverpool,  and  elsewhere  in  England;  but  tra- 
velling, it  is  said,  opens  the  eyes,  and  teaches  people  to  see 
things  which,  in  the  ordinary  jog-trot  of  life,  they  would 
either  despise,  or  be  too  busy  for,  or  never  hear  about  at  alU 
or  take  no  pains  to  visit  if  they  did  hear  of  them. 

On  the  2£d  of  May,  I went  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
State,  in  expectation  of  hearing  a speech  from  Mr.  Emmett, 
a distinguished  counsellor.  In  this  I was  disappointed;  but 
there  was  much  to  interest  notwithstanding.  Amongst 
other  things,  it  was  curious  to  hear  one  of  the  lawyers  quote 
a recent  English  decision.  The  Chief  Justice  and  two 
judges  were  on  the  bench;  but  I must  say,  that  the  absence 
of  the  wigs  and  gowns  took  away  much  more  from  their 
dignity  than  I had  previously  supposed  possible.  Perhaps 
i was  the  more  struck  with  this  omission,  as  it  was  the  first 
thing  I saw  which  made  me  distrust  the  wisdom  with  which 
the  Americans  had  stripped  away  so  much  of  what  had  been 
held  sacred  so  long.  Apparent  trifles  such  as  these  ought 
never,  I think,  to  be  measured  by  their  individual  import- 
ance, but  in  fairness  to  the  subject  should  be  taken  in  con- 
nexion with  myriads  of  associations,  all  combining  to  stea- 
dy our  habits,  to  let  us  know  distinctly  what  we  are  about, 
and  thus  to  give  us  confidence  in  one  another,  which  after 
all  is  the  real  source  of  power  and  happiness  in  a state. 

On  leaving  the  court,  we  perambulated  the  different  parts 
of  the  City  Hall,  a building  of  some  extent  and  beauty,  of 


UNITED  STATES. 


23 


which  the  principal  part  is  built  of  a coarse-grained  white 
marble,  with  a tower  made  of  wood,  and  painted  to  match, 
as  the  ladies  say,  on  the  top.  This  we  climbed  up  to,  in 
order  to  have  a survey  of  the  city,  the  extent  of  which,  as 
w^ell  as  its  beauty,  had  been  rung  in  our  ears  by  the  inha- 
bitants,  every  day  since  we  landed.  The  sight,  I am  free 
to  admit,  substantiated  most  of  the  fine  things  we  had  been 
told,  but  undoubtedly  we  should  have  valued  them  more, 
and  acknowledged  them  with  less  reserve,  had  we  not  been 
so  much  urged  upon  the  subject.  These  taxes  upon  a tra- 
veller’s admiration,  like  other  taxes,  are  never  very  cheer- 
fully paid:  and  the  people  of  every  country  would  do  well 
to  recollect,  that  in  this  matter,  wnalever  it  be  in  finance, 
a voluntary  contribution,  however  small,  goes  for  much 
more  than  any  amount  of  extorted  approbation.  The  ex- 
pression of  heartfelt  and  unexacted  praise,  like  the  quality 
of  mercy,  is  twice  blessed,  being  equally  grateful  to  him 
that  gives  and  him  that  takes.  But  in  the  other  case,  what- 
ever a traveller’s  real  opinions  maybe,  he  feels  when  praise 
is  thus  strained  from  him,  pretty  much  as  he  would  do  if 
he  should  find  his  pocket  picked  by  the  beggar  who  was  so- 
liciting his  charity. 

From  the  City  Hall,  though  it  rained  hard,  we  stepped 
across  to  an  exhibition  of  pictures.  But  I am  sorry  to  say, 
we  were  not  repaid  for  our  draggled  clothes  and  soaking 
feet,  by  what  we  saw  there.  Most  of  the  pictures  were 
flat,  cold,  and  woodeny.  In  another  gallery  were  placed, 
some  excellent  casts,  and  several  exotic  works  of  art,  very- 
few  of  which  were  worth  looking  at.  I certainly  do  not 
except  two  by  West,  that  most  formal  of  all  painters.  The 
same  taste,  of  rather  want  of  taste*  which  leads  the  Ame- 
ricans to  tolerate  foreign  rubbish,  must  circumscribe  the  ef- 
forts of  that  native  genius  which  unquestionably  exists,  and 
would  be  called  to  the  surface  if  by  any  means  the  stan- 
dard of  excellence  could  be  elevated,  and  when  so  raised,, 
could  be  maintained  by  the  influence  of  wrealth  regulated 
by  genuine  feeling,  by  vanity,  or  by  knowledge,  or  by  mere 
fashion,  or  by  all  combined.  How  far  this  is  probable,  or 
even  possible,  as  matters  stand  in  that  country,  is  very 
questionable. 

No  such  misgivings,  however,  as  those  above  hinted  at, 
were  expressed  in  a learned  address  which  we  heard  deli- 
vered the  next  day  in  the  Hall  of  Colombia  College,  on  the 
subject  of  the  fine  arts.  The  orator  made  out  to  his  own 
satisfaction,  and  apparently  to  that  of  his  audience,  that 
America  w-as  m a fair  way  of  rivalling  Greece  in  sculpture. 


24 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


and  Italy  in  painting.  I was  then  so  little  acquainted  with 
the  facts  of  the  case  from  personal  observation,  that  I heard 
all  this  with  pleasure,  as  it  held  out  an  agreeable  prospect 
for  the  future  journey.  But  this  hope  was  presently  much 
dashed  by  a reference,  in  support  of  these  pretensions,  to 
the  very  galleries  I had  been  looking  at;  to  which,  of  course, 
I returned  immediately  after  the  lecture  was  over,  very 
anxious  to  give  the  argument  the  full  value  of  the  illustra- 
tion. But,  alas!  the  second  trial  left  matters  worse  than 
the  first. 

On  the  26th  of  May,  we  made  an  excursion  into  the  state 
of  New  Jersey,  in  company  with  some  obliging  friends,  to 
see  the  falls  of  the  Passaic,  and  the  manufactories  at  the 
village  of  Patterson.  These  falls,  which  are  dammed  up 
for  six  days  in  the  week  to  turn  machinery,  and  let  loose  on 
Sunday,  are  considered  one  of  the  most  fashionable  sights 
in  the  neighbourhood;  and  I must  own,  that  their  populari- 
ty does,  credit  to  the  taste  of  the  cockneys  of  New  York, 
the  London  of  America.  I trust,  however,  I shall  be  for- 
given for  skipping  the  picturesque  upon  this  occasion. 

I was  so  fortunate  as  to  see  during  my  stay  at  New  York, 
the  curious  process  of  moving  a house  bodily  along  the 
ground,  an  operation,  as  far  as  I know,  peculiar  to  that 
place.  The  merit  of  this  curious  adaptation  of  well  known 
mechanical  operations,  belongs  to  Mr.  Simeon  Brown,  who 
has  very  kindly  explained  the  whole  process  to  me,  and  by 
his  permission  I shall  endeavour  to  give  an  account  of  it. 

Every  one  has  heard  of  moving  wooden  houses;  but  the 
transportation  of  a brick  dwelling  is  an  exploit  of  a diffe- 
rent nature.  I shall  describe  simpty  what  I saw,  and  then 
tell  how  the  details  were  managed.  In  a street  which  re- 
quired to  be  widened,  there  stood  two  houses  much  in  the 
way,  their  front  being  twelve  feet  too  far  forward.  These 
houses,  therefore,  must  either  have  been  taken  down,  or 
shifted  back.  Mr.  Brown  undertook  to  execute  the  less 
destructive  process.  They  were  both  of  brick,  and  built 
together,  one  being  forty  feet  deep,  and  twenty-five  feet 
front;  the  other  thirty-two  feet  deep,  and  twenty-two  feet 
front.  They  were  of  the  same  height,  that  is  to  say,  twen- 
ty-two feet,  from  the  ground  to  the  eves,  above  which  stood 
the  roof  and  two  large  stacks  of  brick  chimneys;  the  whole 
forming  a solid  block  of  building,  having  turn  rows  of  six 
windows  each,  along  a front  of  forty-seven  feet  by  twenty- 
turn.  This  was  actually  moved  in  a compact  body,  without 
injury,  twelve  feet  back  from  the  street.  I watched  the 
progress  of  the  preparations  on  the  25th  of  May  with  great 


UNITED  STATES. 


25 


interests  but  unfortunately,  just  as  the  men  were  proceed- 
ing to  the  actual  business  of  moving  the  screws,  I was, 
obliged  to  run  off  to  keep  an  appointment  with  the  Mayor 
and  Corporation  5 and  when  'I  came  back,  three  or  four 
hours  afterwards,  the  workmen  had  gone  away  after  moving 
the  building  thirty  inches;  which  fact  I ascertained  by  mea- 
surements of  my  own.  On  the  next  day,  with  equal  per- 
versity of  fate,  I was  again  called  off  to  join  a party  going 
to  New  Jersey;  and  on  my  return  two  days  afterwards,  I 
had  the  mortification  to  find  the  work  completed.  The 
houses  were  now  exactly  nine  feet  and  a half  from  the  po- 
sition in  which  I had  left  them  a few  days  before. 

It  would  be  tedious,  perhaps,  were  I to  give  a very  mi- 
nute description  of  the  whole  process;  but  it  is  so  simple, 
that  it  may,  with  a little  attention,  be  understood  in  a ge- 
neral way  even  by  persons  not  much  accustomed  to  such 
subjects,  and  may  possibly  be  useful  to  those  who  are  fami- 
liar with  them. 

The  first  object  is  to  place  a set  of  strong  timbers  under 
the  house,  parallel  to,  and  level  with  the  street,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  three  feet  apart,  extending  from  end  to  end  of  the 
buildings,  and  projecting  outwards  several  feet  beyond  the 
gable  end  walls.  The  extremities  of  these  timbers  are  next 
made  to  rest  upon  blocks  of  wood,  placed  on  the  ground 
quite  clear  of  the  walls  on  the  outside.  Then  by  means  of 
wedges  driven  between  the  timbers  and  the  blocks,  they 
are  made  to  sustain  a great  part  of  the  weight  of  the  ends 
of  the  house.  When  this  is  done,  the  foundation  of  the 
end  walls  may  be  removed  without  danger,  as  they  now  rest 
exclusively  on  the  timbers,  the  ends  of  which,  as  I have 
described,  lie  on  solid  blocks. 

I shall  describe  presently  how  the  above  operation  of  in- 
serting  the  timbers  is  performed;  but  if  for  the  present  we 
suppose  it  done,  and  the  house  resting  on  a sort  of  frame- 
work, it  is 'easy  to  conceive  that  a set  of  slides,  or  what 
are  called  in  dock-yards,  ways,  on  which  ships  are  launched, 
may  be  placed  transversely  under  these  timbers,  that  is,  at 
right  angles  to  them,  so  as  to  occupy  the  very  place  where 
the  foundations  of  the  end  walls  once  stood.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  interpose  between  these  ways  or  fixed  slides,  and 
the  aforesaid  timbers,  a set  of  cradles,  similar  in  their  pur- 
pose to  the  apparatus  of  the  same  name  on  which  ships 
rest  when  launched,  to  which  final  process  of  ship-building, 
by  the  by,  this  whole  operation  bears  a close  analogy.  These 
cradles  are  long  smooth  beams  lying  along  the  top  of  the 
ways,  and  in  the  same  line  with  them;  their  under  surfaces 


26 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


in  contact  with  the  ways,  and  the  upper  made  to  bear 
against  the  cross  timbers  which  support  the  house.  The 
object,  at  this  stage  of  the  business,  is,  to  bring  the  whole 
weight  of  the  house  upon  these  cradles,  and  consequently, 
upon  the  ways  which  support  them.  If  this  be  done,  it 
follows  that  the  ends  of  the  timbers,  formerly  described  as 
resting  on  the  blocks,  will  no  longer  be  supported  at  the 
same  places.  This  change  of  the  point  of  support  is  effect- 
ed by  driving  in  wedges  between  the  timbers  and  the  cra- 
dles; and  it  will  readily  be  seen,  that  these  wedges  have 
the  twofold  effect  of  forcing  the  cradles  down  upon  the 
ways,  and  at  the  same  time  of  raising  up  the  timbers  which 
support  the  house,  and  consequently,  in  a very  small  de- 
gree, the  house  itself.  The  ends  of  the  timbers  now  rest 
no  longer  on  the  blocks,  which  are  removed,  and  the  house, 
supported  upon  the  cradles  and  the  ways,  is  ready  for  be- 
ing moved,  as  soon  as  the  front  and  back  walls  have  been 
taken  away. 

Suppose  all  this  done,  there  is  nothing  required  but  to 
apply  screws,  placed  horizontally  in  the  street,  and  butting 
against  the  cradles.  On  these  being  made  to  act  simulta- 
neously, the  cradles,  and  consequently  the  frame  which 
they  support,  together  with  the  house  on  its  back,  move 
along. 

Such  is  a general  account  of  the  process.  I shall  now 
mention  how  the  various  difficulties,  most  of  which  I dare 
say  will  have  suggested  themselves  in  the  foregoing  ac- 
count, are  overcome  in  practice. 

The  horizontal  supporting  timbers,  already  described  as 
being  placed  parallel  to  the  street,  and  nearly  at  the  same 
level  with  it,  are  introduced  one  by  one  in  this  way.  A hole 
is  blocked  out  in  each  of  the  end  walls,  just  above  the 
ground,  and  large  enough  to  admit  a squared  beam,  say  15 
inches  each  way,  of  which  the  ends  project  beyond  the  ga- 
ble walls  about  a couple  of  feet.  A firm  block  of  wrood  is 
then  placed  under  each  of  these  ends,  and  wedges  being 
driven  underneath,  the  beam  is  raised  up,  ami  made  to  bear 
against  the  upper  parts  of  the  holes.  Thus  the  inserted 
timber  completely  supplies  the  office  of  the  dislodged  por- 
tions of  the  masonry.  Another  pair  of  holes  is  then  made, 
and  a second  timber  introduced,  and  so, on  till  they  are  all 
inserted,  and  firmly  wedged  up.  The  distance  at  which 
these  are  placed,  must  depend  upon  the  weight  of  the  wall, 
In  the  case  I witnessed  the  houses  were  of  brick,  and  the 
timber  stood  at  the  distance,  I should  think,  of  three  feet 
apart.  All  this  being  done,  the  intermediate  masonry* 


UNITED  STATES. 


27 


forming  the  foundation,  may  be  gradually  removed,  and  a 
clear  space  will  be  left  under  the  supported  walls  for  the 
reception  of  the  ways. 

There  are  two  more  precautions  to  be  attended  to;  these 
ways  must  all  be  coated  with  tallow,  in  a layer  of  at  least 
half  an  inch  thick,  so  that  the  wood  of  the  cradles  may  ne- 
ver come  in  contact  with  them.  Some  device  must  also  be 
adopted  to  prevent  the  whole  affair,  house  and  all,  from 
sliding  laterally  off.  This,  Mr.  Brown  prevents  by  cutting 
along  the  top  of  one  of  the  ways,  a deep  grove,  into  which 
is  fitted  a correspondent  feather,  as  it  is  called,  of  the  su- 
perincumbent cradle.  This  being  made  to  work  easy,  and 
well  greased,  the  direct  motion  is  not  retarded. 

I have  said  nothing  all  this  time  of  the  front  and  back 
walls;  but  it  will  easily  be  understood  how  these  may  be 
made  to  rest,  like  those  at  the  ends,  on  timbers  inserted  un- 
der the  house  at  right  angles,  to  the  first  set.  The  whole 
of  the  supporting  frame-work  is  tied  so  firmly  together  by 
bolts,  that  there  is  not  the  slightest  bending  or  twisting  of 
any  part  of  the  building. 

When  at  last  the  house  has  reached  its  destination,  a new 
foundation  is  built,  and  the  whole  process  being  inverted, 
the  timbers  are  withdrawn  one  by  one;  and  such  is  the  se» 
curity  of  these  operations,  that  no  furniture  is  ever  removed 
from  the  houses  so  transported.  The  inhabitants,  I am  told, 
move  out  and  in  as  if  nothing  were  going  on.  This,  how- 
ever, I did  not  see. 

Mr.  Brown  was  once  employed  to  remove  a house  from 
the  top  to  the  bottom  of  a sloping  ground;  and,  as  no  addi» 
tional  impulse  from  screws  was  here  required,  he  resolved 
to  ease  the  building  down,  as  sailors  call  it,  by  means  of  a 
tackle.  Unfortunately,  about  the  middle  of  the  operation, 
the  strop  of  one  of  the  blocks  broke,  and  the  operator, 
who  was  standing  on  the  lower  side  of  the  building,  was 
horrified  by  the  apparition  of  the  house  under  weigh,  and 
smoking,  by  its  friction,  right  down  upon  him.  With  that 
vigorous  presence  of  mind,  which  is  compounded  of  tho- 
rough knowledge,  and  a strong  sense  of  the  necessity  of 
immediate  action,  and  without  which  courage  is  often  use- 
less,  he  dashed  a crow-bar,  which  he  happened  to  have  in 
his  hand  at  the  time,  into  a hole  accidentally  left  in  one  of 
the  ways,  and  leaping  on  one  side  watched  the  result.  The 
momentum  of  the  enormous  moving  body  was  so  great,  that 
it  fairly  drove  the  iron  bar,  like  a cutting  instrument,  fora 
considerable  distance  through  the  fibres  of  the  timber.  The 
main  point,  however,  was  gained  by  the  house  being  arrest- 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


ed  in  its  progress  down  the  hill;  and  the  able  engineer,  like 
an  officer  who  has  shown  himself  fertile  in  resource,  reaped 
more  credit  from  the  successful  application  of  a remedy  to 
an  evil  not  anticipated,  than  if  all  had  gone  smoothly  from 
the  commencement. 

We  began  now  to  think  it  was  high  time  to  disentangle 
ourselves  from  the  fascinations  of  the  great  city,  and  to 
proceed  in  earnest  on  our  long  pilgrimage.  Accordingly, 
having  obtained  numerous  letters  of  introduction,  and  a 
great  stock  of  good  advice,  we  bade  adieu,  for  nearly  half 
a year,  to  our  kind  friends  at  New  York,  whose  attentions 
had  left  the  most  favourable  impressions  on  our  minds. 


CHAPTER  II. 


On  the  29th  of  May,  1827,  we  got  up  betimes,  bustled  I 
about  the  hotel,  paid  our  bill,  snatched  up  our  breakfast  in 
that  hurried  and  unsatisfactory  style  which  belongs  to  scrimp 
time,  and  then  rattled  off  in  a hackney  coach  to  the  foot  of 
Murray  Street,  where  we  caught  the  steam-boat  Ariel, — 
the  delicate  Ariel, — just  on  the  move.  A bell  was  ringing 
on  bdard,  and  other  passengers  who  like  ourselves  were 
somewhat  late,  were  seen  galloping  down  the  streets;  while 
porters,  and  carters  with  luggage,  came  panting  to  the 
wharf,  and  tumbled  their  boxes,  trunks,  and  carpet  bags  on 
the  deck  with  very  little  ceremony.  Exactly  as  the  clock 
struck  eight,  the  paddle-wheels  began  to  stir,  and  away  sal- 
lied the  fairy  ship,  with  her  gay  flags  and  snow-white  awn- 
ings, like  a huge  swan,  on  the  broad  bosom  of  the  magnifi- 
cent Hudson.  This  river  stretches  directly  in  the  line  of 
the  meridian  from  New  York,  into  the  very  heart  of  that 
flourishing  state,  and  forming,  undoubtedly,  the  finest  na- 
tural canal  in  the  world.  It  is  wide,  deep,  and  free  from 
shoals  for  a great  part  of  its  course;  and  the  tides  which 
are  never  strong  are  always  useful,  even  as  far  as  Albany, 
145  miles  in  the  interior,  and  sometimes,  if  I am  not  mis- 
taken, at  certain  seasons  as  far  as  Troy,  a large  village  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  river,  six  or  eight  miles  still  higher  up. 
The  scenery  on  the  Hudson  or  North  River,  as  it  is  gene- 
rally called,  has  been  so  ably  and  so  faithfully  described  by 
the  classical  author  of  the  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow',  which 
lies  on  its  left  bank;  that  I may  well  be  excused,  I think, 


UNITED  STATES. 


29 


from  making  any  fresh  attempts  in  so  difficult  a walk.  The 
steep  shores  are  generally  wooded,  and  every  where  stud” 
ded  with  villages,  or  with  single  country  houses,  belonging 
to  the  ancient  aristocracy,  which  is  now  rapidly  withering 
away  in  that  part  of  the  country,  as  it  has  already  done  al- 
most every  where  else  in  America,  to  the  great  exultation 
of  the  people,  before  the  blighting  tempest  of  democracy. 

Instead  of  groaning  under  the  burning  sun  which  had 
scorched  us  dreadfully  during  the  preceding  day  or  two,  we 
were  now  complaining  as  bitterly  of  a cool,  I might  almost 
say  a cold  morning,  with  a most  comfortless  drizzling  rain. 
This  was  the  first  indication  we  had  of  the  variable  nature 
of  the  American  climate,  which  we  afterwards  learnt  by 
dear  experience  was  hardly  to  be  matched,  in  this  unplea- 
sant respect,  by  any  other  in  the  world;  at  least  as  far  as 
my  knowledge  had  gone.  I do  not  advert  just  now  to  the 
variety  of  temperature,  dependent  on  the  differences  of 
latitude  which  the  great  extent  of  our  journey  brought  us 
acquainted  with,  but  to  the  variableness  of  the  American 
climate  generally,  at  any  particular  part  of  the  United 
States.  Before  we  reached  our  destination  for  the  evening, 
the  house  of  a friend  we  had  met  some  years  before  in  Eu- 
rope, the  rain  had  ceased,  and  the  clouds  being  drawn  up 
like  a curtain  far  in  the  north-west,  once  more  showed  some 
bright  touches  of  a clear  blue  sky. 

Every  thing  about  us  continued  to  look  new  to  our  eyes; 
and  the  dreamy  sort  of  feeling  I have  before  tried  to  de- 
scribe, was  more  or  less  present  to  our  thoughts  still.  The 
whole  scene,  indeed,  of  which  we  had  previously  known 
nothing,  or  so  little  as  to  be  ranked  as  nothing,  was  so  very 
suddenly  brought  before  us,  that  it  seemed  to  the  imagina- 
tion, as  if  all  we  saw  had  started  into  existence  only  the 
moment  before.  In  many  other  parts  of  the  world  I have 
felt  something  of  the  same  kind;  and  have  frequently  caught 
myself,  in  distant  countries,  looking  with  surprise  at  the 
people  bustling  about  and  attending  to  their  ordinary  affairs, 
with  what  seemed  a stupid  unconsciousness  of  the  curiosity 
of  appearances  to  me  so  new  and  so  wondrous  strange.  Of 
course,  in  the  next  instant,  such  fantastic  delusions  would 
flit  off,  and  give  place  to  more  substantial  impressions.  But 
this  mixture  of  fancy  and  reality;  of  the  tangible  evidences 
of  the  senses  with  the  imagery  of  the  mind;  which  again 
were  modified  by  a host  of  real  associations  and  recollec- 
tions of  other  scenes  of  other  voyages,  in  the  east  and  in 
the  west,  all  taken  together,  produced  a sensation  highly 

Vol.  i,  4 


30 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


interesting  and  curious,  and  though  not  easily  described,, 
it  will  I think  be  recognised  by  many  other  wanderers. 

The  pleasures  of  travelling,  taken  in  this  spirit,  will 
sometimes  far  exceed  the  anticipation;  and  those  brilliant 
pictures  drawn  by  early  enthusiasm  or  even  by  matured 
curiosity,  of  the  wonders  of  the  world,  are  often  feeble  in 
their  colouring,  compared  to  that  of  the  actual  original 
viewed  on  the  spot. 

The  lands  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Hudson,  for  a consi- 
derable distance  above  New  York,  were  formerly  held  by 
great  proprietors,  and  chiefly  by  the  Livingston  family;  but 
the  abolition  of  entails,  and  the  repeal  of  the  law  of  primo- 
geniture, has  already  broken  it  down  into  small  portions. 
Our  host,  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  possessed  only  a third  of 
the  property  held  by  his  immediate  predecessor,  while  the 
manor  of  Livingston,  an  extensive  and  fertile  district  far- 
ther up  the  river,  formerly  owned  by  one  person,  is  now 
divided  into  forty  or  fifty  parcels,  belonging  to  as  many 
different  proprietors;  so  that  where  half-a-dozen  landlords 
once  lived,  as  many  hundreds  may  now  be  counted.  And 
as  these  new  possessors  clear  away  and  cultivate  the  soil  at 
a great  rate,  the  population  goes  on  swelling  rapidly,  though 
we  were  told  not  by  any  means  so  fast  as  it  does  in  the  wild 
regions  of  the  west.  This  comparative  tardiness  may  pos- 
sibly be  caused  by  some  lingerings  of  the  old  aristocratical 
feeling;  though  it  is  mixed  up  curiously  enough  with  the 
modern  ideas  of  the  equal  division  of  property,  the  univer- 
sality of  electoral  suffrage,  equality  of  popular  rights  and 
privileges,  and  all  the  other  transatlantic  devices  for  the 
improvement  of  society.  Every  thing  indeed  that  we  saw 
in  these  districts,  not  actually  under  the  plough,  wore  an 
air  of  premature  and  hopeless  decay;  the  ancient  manor- 
houses  were  allowed  to  fall  to  pieces;  the  trees  of  the  parks 
and  pleasure-grounds  were  all  untended;  the  rank  grass  was 
thickly  matted  along  with  weeds  over  the  walks;  and  the 
old  pictures  were  fast  going  to  ruin  under  the  joint  influ- 
ence of  mould  and  indifference.  It  cannot,  indeed,  now 
be  otherwise,  for  the  moment  the  proprietor  dies,  his  land 
is  equally  divided  amongst  his  children;  and  by  thus  falling 
into  many  hands,  no  one  has  the  means,  if  he  had  the  in- 
clination, to  keep  up  the  ancient  state  of  things.  The 
practical  effect  of  this,  as  we  saw  everywhere  exemplified, 
was  to  render  the  actual  possessors  utterly  careless  of  those 
tasteful  refinements  above  alluded  to.  By  law,  indeed, 
any  man  in  America  may  leave  his  property  to  whom  he 
pleases,  or  he  may  even  entail  it,  exactly  as  in  England, 


UNITED  STATES. 


31 


upon  persons  living  at  the  time;  jet  the  general  sentiment 
of  the  public  is  so  decidedly  against  sucli  unequal  distri- 
butions, that  in  practice  such  a thing  very  rarely  if  ever 
takes  place.  Consequently  there  is  no  check  to  this  dete- 
riorating process,  which  is  rapidly  reducing  that  portion  of 
the  country  to  the  same  level  in  respect  to  property,  with 
those  recently  settled  districts  where  entails  and  the  rights 
of  primogeniture  never  did  exist,  and  are  hardly  known 
even  by  name;  or  if  spoken  of  at  all,  it  is  with  the  utmost 
contempt  and  horror. 

On  Wednesday  the  30th  of  May,  we  visited  the  Peniten- 
tiary, or  State  Prison,  at  a place  called  Sing  Sing,  on  the 
left  or  east  bank  of  the  Hudson  River,  at  the  distance  of 
thirty  miles  from  New  York. 

I have  yet  seen  nothing  in  any  part  of  the  world  in  the 
way  of  prisons,  which  appeared  to  be  better  managed  ihan 
this  establishment.  It  is  no  easy  task  to  bring  people  who 
are  well  disposed  under  the  influence  of  strict  discipline; 
but  when  the  parties  to  be  wrought  upon  are  wicked  and 
turbulent  by  nature,  and  altogether  unaccustomed  to  re- 
straint, the  difficulty  is  considerably  augmented.  This 
problem,  however,  has  been,  I think,  pretty  nearly  solved 
in  America. 

I had  been  told,  in  a general  way,  that  several  hundred 
convicts  were  employed  at  this  spot,  in  the  construction  of 
a prison  in  which  they  themselves  were  eventually  to  be 
confined;  but  I could  scarcely  credit  the  accounts  which 
described  the  degree  of  order  and  subordination  maintained 
amongst  a set  of  the  most  hardened  ruffians  any  where  to 
be  found.  Accordingly,  although  prepared  in  some  degree, 
my  astonishment  was  great  when  I approached  the  spot, 
and  saw  only  two  sentinels  pacing  along  the  height,  from 
whence  I looked  down  upon  two  hundred  convicts  at  work. 
Some  of  these  were  labouring  in  a large  marble  quarry, 
others  in  long  wooden  sheds  surrounding  the  spot,  and  some 
were  engaged  at  various  parts  of  the  new  prison,  an  exten- 
sive stone  building  running  parallel  to  the  river,  about  one 
third  of  which  had  been  finished  and  made  habitable. 

Captain  Lynds,  the  superintendent,  for  whom  we  had 
brought  a letter,  joined  us  on  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  and 
begged  us  to  walk  down,  that  we  might  see  what  was  going 
on,  and  judge,  by  personal  inspection,  whether  or  not  the 
accounts  we  had  heard  were  exaggerated. 

There  was  an  air  of  confident  authority  about  all  the  ar- 
rangements of  this  place,  which  gave  us  a feeling  of  per- 
fect security,  though  we  were  walking  about  unarmed 


32 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


amongst  cut-throats  and  villains  of  all  sorts.  There  was 
something  extremely  imposing  in  the  profound  silence  with 
which  every  part  of  the  work  of  these  people  was  performed. 
During  several  hours  that  we  continued  amongst  them,  we 
did  not  hear  even  a whisper,  nor  could  we  detect  in  a sin- 
gle instance  an  exchange  of  looks  amongst  the  convicts,  dr 
what  was  still  more  curious,  a sidelong  glance  at  the  stran- 
gers. Silence  in  fact  is  the  essential,  or  I may  call  it  the 
vital  principle  of  this  singular  discipline.  When  to  this 
are  added  unceasing  labour  during  certain  appointed  hours, 
rigorous  seclusion  during  the  rest  of  the  day,  and  absolute 
solitude  all  night,  there  appears  to  be  formed  one  of  the 
most  efficacious  combinations  of  moral  machinery  that  has 
ever  perhaps  been  seen  in  action. 

The  principles  upon  which  this  system  of  prison  disci- 
pline rests  are  very  simple,  and  may  be  easily  explained; 
perhaps,  however,  the  readiest  method  will  be  to  run  through 
the  routine  of  one  complete  day’s  operations,  by  which  all 
the  principal  parts  will  be  seen,  and  their  bearing  on  one 
another  more  readily  understood. 

The  whole  secret  of  the  astonishing  success  of  this  plan 
lies  in  preventing  the  prisoners  from  holding  any  kind  of 
communication  with  each  other,  however  slight  or  transient. 
As  a matter  of  indispensable  necessity  towards  the  accom- 
plishment of  this  object,  it  is  obvious  that  the  convicts  must 
be  kept  separate  at  night.  To  effect  this  completely,  with- 
out any  great  cost  in  the  way  of  house-room  and  of  super- 
intendence, is  a difficulty  which  has  been  completely  over- 
come in  the  state  of  New  York.  According  to  the  system 
alluded  to,  each  prisoner  has  a separate  sleeping  place,  se- 
ven feet  in  length,  seven  high,  and  three  and  a half  wide, 
built  of  solid  blocks  of  stone,  and  secured  by  an  iron  door, 
the  upper  part  of  which  contains  orifices  smaller  than  a 
man’s  hand.  Through  this  grate  a sufficient  supply  of  air 
is  admitted,  and  as  much  light  and  heat  as  are  necessary. 
The  ventilation  is  made  complete  by  a sort  of  chimney  or 
air-pipe,  three  inches  in  diameter,  which  extends  from  the. 
upper  part  of  each  of  the  apartments  to  the  roof  of  the 
building.  These  cells,  or  sleeping  births,  are  placed  in 
row  s of  one  hundred  in  each,  one  above  another,  and  in  ap- 
pearance by  no  means  unlike  wine  bins  in  a cellar,  only 
deeper,  wider,  and  twice  as  high.  Each  tier  has  in  front  of 
it  a narrow  gallery  just  wide  enough  for  one  man  to  pass, 
and  connected  at  the  ends  with  a staircase.  The  prison  at 
Sing  Sing  when  completed,  which  it  probably  is  by  this  time 
(1829,)  will  contain  eight  hundred  cells,  four  hundred  oi 


UNITED  STATES. 


33 


which  are  on  the  side  facing  the  river,  and  a like  number 
on  the  side  next  the  land.  The  block  or  mass  of  building, 
formed  of  these  two  sets  of  cells  placed  back  to  back,  may 
be  compared  to  a long,  high,  and  straight  wall  twenty  feet 
thick,  perforated  on  both  sides  with  four  parallel  and  hori- 
zontal ranges  of  square  holes.  This  again  is  incased  on 
all  sides  by  an  external  building,  the  walls  of  which  are  at 
ten  feet  distance  from  those  of  the  inner  work,  or  honey- 
comb of  cells.  These  outer  walls  are  pierced  with  rows 
of  small  windows,  one  being  opposite  to  each  door,  and  so 
adjusted  as  to  afford  abundant  light  and  fresh  air,  but  no 
means  of  seeing  out.  Stoves  and  lamps  are  placed  along 
the  area  or  open  space  between  the  external  wall  and  the 
inner  building,  to  afford  heat  in  winter,  and  light  to  the 
galleries  after  sunset. 

As  soon  as  the  prisoners  are  locked  up  for  the  night,  each 
in  his  separate  cell,  a watchman  takes  his  station  on  the 
ground  floor  abreast  of  the  lower  tier,  or  if  he  thinks  fit 
he  may  walk  along  the  galleries  past  the  line  of  doors.  His 
feet  being  shod  with  mocasins,  his  tread  is  not  heard,  while 
he  himself  can  hear  the  faintest  attempt  at  communication 
made  by  one  prisoner  to  another;  for  the  space  in  front  of 
the  cells  seems  to  be  a sort  of  whispering  of  sounding  gal- 
lery, of  which  fact  I satisfied  myself  by  actual  experiment, 
though  I do  not  very  well  know  the  cause.  In  this  way 
the  convicts  are  compelled  to  pass  the  night  in  solitude  and 
silence;  and  I do  not  remember  in  my  life  to  have  met  be- 
fore with  any  thing  so  peculiarly  solemn  as  the  death-like 
silence  which  reigned,  even  at  noon-day,  in  one  of  these 
prisons,  though  I knew  that  many  hundreds  of  people  were 
close  to  me.  At  night  the  degree  of  silence  was  really  op- 
pressive; and  like  many  other  parts  of  this  curious  esta- 
blishment must  be  witnessed  in  person  to  be  duly  under- 
stood. 

The  convicts  are  awakened  at  sunrise  by  a bell;  but  be- 
fore they  are  let  out,  the  clergyman  of  the  establishment 
reads  a prayer  from  a station  so  chosen,  that  without  effort 
he  can  readily  make  himself  heard  by  all  the  prisoners  on 
that  side  of  the  building,  that  is  to  say,  by  four  hundred,  or 
one  half  of  the  number  confined.  The  turnkeys  now  open 
the  doors,  and  a word  of  command  being  given,  each  of  the 
prisoners  steps  out  of  his  cell  into  the  gallery.  They  are 
then  formed  into  close  line,  and  made  to  march  with  what 
is  called  the  lock  step,  with  their  eyes  turned  towards  their 
keeper,  along  the  passages  to  the  work-shops.  On  leaving 
the  building,  the  different  divisions  or  gangs  under  the  se- 

4* 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


O A 

veral  turnkeys,  make  a short  halt  in  the  outer-yard  to  wash, 
their  hands  and  faces,  and  also  to  deposite  their  tubs  and 
water-cans,  which  are  taken  up  by  another  set  of  prisoners, 
whose  duty  it  is  to  attend  to  the  cleansing  department  of  the 
household.  Another  party  of  the  prisoners  attend  to  the 
cooking;  another  to  washing  clothes;  in  short,  the  whole  work 
is  done  by  the  convicts.  The  main  body  of  the  prisoners 
are  then  marched  to  their  fixed  tasks;  some  to  hew  stone, 
or  to  saw  marble,  some  to  forge  iron,  some  to  weave  cloth; 
while  others  are  employed  as  tailors,  shoemakers,  coopers, 
and  in  various  other  trades.  Each  shop  is  under  the  charge 
of  a turnkey,  of  course  not  a convict,  but  a man  of  charac- 
ter, and  known  to  be  trust-worthy,  who,  besides  other  qua- 
lifications, is  required  to  be  master  of  the  business  there 
taught;  for  his  duty  is  not  only  to  enforce  the  closest  at- 
tention to  the  rules  of  the  prison,  arid  in  particular  that  of 
the  most  rigorous  silence,  but  he  has  to  instruct  the  men 
under  his  charge  in  some  trade.  The  prisoners  when  in 
these  work-shops,  are  placed  in  rows  with  their  faces  all 
turned  in  one  direction,  so  that  they  cannot  communicate 
by  looks  or  signs.  Each  turnkey  has  not  less  than  twenty, 
nor  more  than  thirty  men  under  his  charge;  and  it  is  found 
that  one  man,  stimulated  by  a good  salary,  or  by  other  ade- 
quate motives  to  do  his  duty,  and  who  is  duly  supported, 
can  perfectly  well  enforce  these  regulations  upon  that  num- 
ber of  persons. 

The  general  superintendent  of  the  prison  has  a most  in- 
genious method  of  watching  not  only  the  prisoners,  but  also 
the  turnkeys.  A narrow  dark  passage  runs  along  the  back 
part  of  all  the  work-shops,  from  whence  the  convicts,  sit- 
ting at  their  tasks,  as  well  as  their  turnkeys,  can  be  dis- 
tinctly seen  through  narrow  slits  in  the  wall,  naif  an  inch 
wide,  and  covered  with  glass,  while  the  superintendent 
himself  can  neither  be  seen  nor  heard  by  the  prisoners,  or 
by  their  keepers.  The  consciousness  that  a vigilant  eye 
may  at  any  given  moment  be  fixed  upon  them,  is  described 
as  being  singularly  efficacious  in  keeping  the  attention  of 
all  parties  awake,  to  an  extent  which  no  visible  and  perma- 
nent scrutiny,  I am  told,  has  the  power  of  commanding. 

At  a fixed  hour,  eight  I believe,  a bell  is  rung,  upon 
which  all  work  is  discontinued;  the  prisoners  again  form 
themselves  into  a close  line  under  their  turnkey,  and  when 
the  order  is  given  to  march,  they  return  back  to  their  cells. 
Each  one  now  stops  before  his  door,  with  his  hands  by  his 
side,  motionless  and  silent  like  a statue,  till  directed  by  a 
signal  to  stoop  down  for  his  breakfast,  which  has  been  pre- 


UNITED  STATES. 


35 


viously  placed  for  him  on  the  floor  of  the  gallery.  They 
next  turn  about,  and  march  in,  after  which  the  iron  doors 
of  their  cells  are  locked  upon  them,  while  they  take  their 
comfortless  meal  in  solitude.  At  Auburn,  where  this  sys- 
tem was  first  put  in  operation,  it  was  the  practice,  at  the 
time  of  my  visit,  to  allow  the  prisoners  to  eat  their  meals 
in  company.  But  experience  having  shown  that  even  this 
degree  of  sociability,  trifling  as  it  was,  did  some  harm,  and 
that  much  good  -was  gained  by  compelling  them  to  mess 
alone,  the  plan  above  described  has,  I believe,  been  intro- 
duced in  all  the  other  similar  establishments  in  America, 
of  which  I am  glad  to  say  there  are  now  a great  many. 

After  twenty  minutes  have  elapsed,  the  prisoners  are 
marched  to  their  work;  winch  goes  on  in  the  same  uninter- 
rupted style  till  noon,  when  they  are  paraded  once  more  to 
their  cells,  where  they  take  their  lock-up,  unsociable  din- 
ner, and  then  pace  back  again  to  their  dull,  silent  round  of 
hard  labour.  On  the  approach  of  night,  the  prisoners  are 
made  to  wash  their  hands  and  faces,  as  they  did  in  the 
morning  on  leaving  their  cells,  and  then,  as  before,  at  the 
sound  of  the  yard-bell,  to  form  themselves  into  lines,  each 
one  standing  in  order  according  to  the  number  of  his  night’s 
quarters.  As  they  pass  through  the  yard  they  take  up  their 
cans  and  tubs,  and  proceed  finally  for  this  day  to  their  cell 
doors,  where  their  supper  of  mush  and  molasses,  a prepa- 
ration of  Indian  corn  meal,  awaits  them  as  before.  At  a 
fixed  hour  they  are  directed  by  a bell  to  undress  and  go  to 
bed;  but  just  before  this,  and  as  nearly  at  sunset  as  may 
be,  prayers  are  said  by  the  resident  clergyman.  It  is  very 
important  to  know  from  the  best  qualified  local  authorities, 
that  the  efficacy  of  this  practice,  considered  as  a branch  of 
the  prison  discipline,  and  independently  of  its  other  valua- 
ble considerations,  has  been  found  very  great. 

Captain  Lynds,  the  superintendent  at  Sing  Sing,  and  the 
gentleman  who  is,  I believe,  universally  admitted  to  have 
the  greatest  share  of  the  merit  which  belongs  to  the  first 
practical  application  of  this  system,  is  decidedly  of  opin- 
ion that  it  is  not  and  never  can  be  complete,  unless  there 
be  a clergyman  permanently  attached  to  the  establishment, 
whose  exclusive  duty  it  shall  be  to  attend  to  the  prisoners. 
Indeed  he  told  me  himself,  thatffie  had  originally  taken  the 
opposite  line,  from  a belief  that  this  division  of  authority 
with  a spiritual  superintendent,  if  I may  use  such  a term, 
would  interfere  with  the  ordinary  discipline;  but  that  he 
now  considered  this  alliance  of  primary  consequence.  This 
question  is  one  of  great  moment,  and  the  name  of  Captain 


36 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


Lynds  stands  so  deservedly  high,  that  I cannot  afford  to 
relinquish  the  support  which  his  authority  lends  to  my  own 
deliberate  opinion  upon  this  subject. 

In  April,  1827,  at  the  earnest  recommendation  of  this 
gentleman,  a chaplain  was  sent  to  Sing  Sing.  The  person 
who  was  induced  to  assume  the  responsibilities  of  this  sta- 
tion was  Mr.  Gerrish  Barrett,  and  that  he  feels  these  obli- 
gations in  the  proper  spirit,  will  I think  be  freely  admitted 
by  every  one  who  reads  the  following  extract  from  a letter 
written  by  him,  which  I have  transcribed  from  page  109  of 
the  Second  Report  of  the  prison  Discipline  Society  of  Bos- 
ton, an  institution  which  has  rendered  eminent  services  to 
this  cause  in  America. 

44  A little  after  seven  o’clock  every  evening,”  says  Mr. 
Barrett,  44 1 commence  reading  the  scriptures  to  the  con- 
victs, afterwards  make  some  remarks,  and  then  offer  a 
prayer  on  each  side  of  the  prison.  I have  found  by  expe- 
rience, that  to  stand  as  near  the  centre  of  the  prison  as  pos- 
sible, on  the  pavement  below,  is  far  better  for  the  purpose 
of  being  easily  heard,  than  to  stand  upon  the  gallery.  I am 
pursuaded,  that  of  all  the  methods  which  have  been  used 
for  fastening  divine  truth  upon  the  minds  of  convicts,  this 
daily  reading  of  the  scriptures  and  prayer  is  most  likely  to 
succeed.  The  truth  strikes  upon  the  ear,  when  the  men 
are  sobered  by  the  labours  of  the  day,  when  no  mortal  eye 
sees  them,  and  when  the  twilight  and  the  silence,  and  the 
loneliness  combine  in  causing  it  to  make  a deep  impression. 
They  can  then  reflect  on  what  they  have  heard  till  they  fall 
asleep. 

44  After  divine  service  on  the  Sabbath,  a considerable 
portion  of  the  time  is  spent  in  talking  to  the  men  in  their 
cells.  In  this  business  I feel  more  and  more  interested.  I 
have  found  no  one  yet,  who  showed  any  disrespect  or  un- 
willingness to  hear  what  was  said.” — (Page  67.) 

It  will  not  be  supposed,  nor  is  it  pretended  by  the  friends 
of  this  plan,  that  its  effects  are  in  every  case  beneficial,  and 
that  all,  or  any  great  number  of  the  convicts,  are  to  be  re- 
formed. It  is  surely  enough  if  it  can  be  shown,  that  of  all 
the  plans  of  penitentiary  discipline  which  have  been  tried, 
this  one  affords  the  best  chance  for  success;  and  it  is  my 
opinion,  after  having  visited  many  prisons  in  different  parts 
of  the  United  States,  that  the  Auburn  system,  as  it  is 
called,  does  in  fact,  combine  more  advantages,  with  fewer 
defects,  than  any  other  which  has  yet  been  proposed  in  that 
country. 

I ought  perhaps,  to  have  mentioned  before,  that  the  con- 


UNITED  STATES. 


37 


victs  who  are  sentenced  to  confinement  in  the  state  prisons 
of  America,  are  chiefly  such  as  in  England  would  be  either 
executed  or  banished.  Now,  in  most  of  the  states,  parti- 
cularly in  the  North  and  in  the  East,  there  is  a great  objec- 
tion to  capital  punishments;  and  as  they  have  no  place  to 
* which  offenders  can  be  transported,  they  are  compelled,  in 
order  to  preserve  the  peace  of  society,  to  shut  up  in  the 
heart  of  the  country  a great  number  of  persons  who  in  Eng- 
land would  be  got  rid  of  altogether.  This  difference  in  the 
circumstances  of  the  two  countries  is  not,  I think,  suffi- 
ciently attended  to,  and  like  many  other  things,  helps  to 
disturb  those  analogies  by  which  the  same  reasonings  are 
often  injudiciously  applied  to  both. 

Two  plans  have  been  proposed  in  America,  for  alleviating 
the  evils  incident  to  this  necessity  of  maintaining  a perma- 
nent class  .of  ruffians,  gradually  increasing  in  numbers,  in 
the  very  heart  of  the  community.  One  of  these  is  to  shut 
them  up  in  absolute  solitary  confinement  day  and  night, 
either  with  or  without  labour,  but  altogether  without  com- 
panionship; and  thus  virtually  to  banish  them  not  only 
from  the  country,  but,  for  the  time,  from  the  world.  This, 
combined  with  a course  of  reformatory  moral  discipline, 
which  is  not  considered  incompatible,  has  some  zealous  sup- 
porters in  Pennsylvania.  The  other  is  the  plan  I have  been 
just  describing,  which  is  generally  called  the  Auburn  system, 
from  the  first  experiments  having  been  made  at  a village  of 
that  name,  in  the  western  part  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
A pretty  warm  controversy  has  been  carried  on  in  America 
upon  this  subject;  but  as  I shall  probably  have  a better  op- 
portunity  of  explaining  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  oppo- 
site system,  or  that  of  absolute  solitude,  in  treating  of  the 
penitentiary  at  Philadelphia,  I shall  at  present  merely  state 
in  a very  few  words  what  seems  to  be  the  prominent  advan- 
tages of  the  Auburn  plan. 

It  is  right  to  mention  in  passing,  that  many  persons  in 
England  are  under  a misconception  as  to  the  state  of  the  con 
troversy  in  America.  In  the  Seventh  Report  of  the  Lon- 
don Prison  Discipline  Society,  at  page  110,  it  is  stated,  that 
‘4  Solitary  confinement,  unmitigated  by  employment  either 
of  body  or  mind,  is  the  most  prominent  feature  in  the  dis- 
cipline now  recommended  in  the  United  States.’’ 

Without  going  into  any  details,!  think  it  due  to  the  subject, 
as  well  as  to  the  good  sense  and  right  feelings  of  that  coun- 
try, to  assert  positively,  that  the  contrary  is  the  fact;  and 
that  of  all  the  persons  I conversed  with  on  this  matter— 
and  I spared  no  pains  to  bring  myself  in  contact  with  those 


38 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


who  took  an  interest  in  the  question — I met  with  only  one 
man  who  was  a hearty  advocate  for  absolute  solitary  con- 
finement, and  even  he  was  half  disposed  to  admit  the  ne- 
cessity of  adding  labour.  There  is  not  a single  new  prison 
from  end  to  end  of  America,  excepting  one  in  Philadelphia, 
where  such  a plan  is  thought  of;  and  even  there,  absolute  so- 
litude has  not  yet  been,  and  I suspect  never  will  be  adopted  : 
simply  because  the  public  feeling  is  directly  the  reverse  of 
what  is  stated  in  the  above  quotation ; and  because  all  ex- 
perience tends  to  show  its  inefficacy. 

It  must  be  recollected,  that  the  persons  subjected  to  this 
discipline,  are  amongst  the  most  hardened,  the  least  edu- 
cated, and  the  most  unprincipled  men  in  the  country  $ many 
of  whom  have  been  systematically  taught  vice,  and  who, 
from  the  constant  indulgence  of  every  bad  propensity,  have 
acquired  the  most  pernicious  habits.  To  reform  such  ma- 
tured ruffians,  is  not  a task  which  holds  out  much  hope  in 
the  eyes  of  men  who  have  studied  such  subjects  out  of  their 
closets.  All  that  can  be  looked  for,  indeed,  or  that  ought 
to  be  looked  for,  as  far  as  the  convicts  are  concerned,  is 
that,  by  possibility,  some  of  them  may  be  made  less  wicked. 
In  this  view,  it  is  a statesman’s  business  to  give  them  the 
best  chance  for  reformation,  at  the  same  time  that  he  effec: 
tually  keeps  in  view  the  other  objects  of  a penitentiary. 
These  are  the  safe  custody  of  the  culprit,  combined  with 
that  amount  of  punishment  which,  while  it  makes  the  deepest 
impression  on  his  mind,  may,  by  a salutary  terror,  help  to 
deter  others  from  committing  like  offences  against  society. 
If  economy  to  the  state  can  be  added,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Auburn  system,  where  the  labour  of  the  convicts  defrays 
nearly  all  the  expenses  of  the  establishment,  so  much  the 
better. 

In  the  official  report  made  to  the  legislature  of  the  state 
of  New  York,  dated  5th  January,  1828,  the  inspectors  say, 
“ Such  has  been  the  improvement  in  the  earnings  of  the  con- 
victs, and  such  the  diminution  of  pardons,  we  are  of  opi- 
nion, that  no  farther  appropriation  will  hereafter  be  neces- 
sary to  support  the  current  expenses  of  the  prison  at  Au- 
burn.” The  directors  of  the  prison  at  Wethersfield  in  the 
state  of  Connecticut,  say  in  their  official  report  to  the  le- 
gislature, dated  10th  April,  1828,  “that  the  earnings  of 
the  prisoners  for  the  six  months  ending  31st  March,  1828, 
have  been  1017  dollars  over  and  above  the  expenses  of  their 
management,  and  of  their  support.  ’’ 

“ In  the  new  prison  at  Sing  Sing/’  says  the  Boston  So- 
ciety’s Third  Report,  page  14,  4<  Captain  Lynds  declares. 


TJNIEED  STATES*. 


39 


that  he  will  ask  no  greater  privilege  from  the  state  when 
the  prison  is  done,  than  the  earnings  of  the  convicts,  above 
every  expense  for  food,  medical  attendance,  moral  instruc- 
tion, keeping,  &c.  &c. ; and  that  he  will  enter  into  bonds  for 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  release  the  state  from  all 
further  charges  for  the  current  expenses,  in  consideration 
of  receiving  the  proceeds  of  the  labour  of  the  convicts.  ” 

It  is  not  very  agreeable,  but  it  may  perhaps  be  useful,  to 
compare  this  point  of  prison  expenses  with  what  takes 
place  in  England.  The  following  table  is  extracted  from 
page  56  of  the  Third  Report  of  the  Boston  Prison  Disci- 
pline Society. 

Another  great  point  of  difference  in  the  two  countries, 
is  in  regard  to  the  productiveness  of  the  labour  of  convicts. 


Number 

IK  ENGLAND.  of  COUvidS. 

Maidstone  County  Prison,  Kent,  - - 363 

Lancaster  Castle  County  Jail,  - - - 414 

Preston  County  House  of  Correction,  - 192 

Manchester  New  Bailey  House  of  Correction,  762 
Kirkdale  County  House  of  Correction,  - 620 
Leicester  County  House  of  Correction,  - 99 

Milbank  Penitentiary,  near  London,  - - 341 

Shrewsbury  County  Jail  andHouse  of  Correction,  134 
Stafford  County  Jail  and  House  of  Correction,  268 
Bury  County  Jail  and  House  of  Correction,  124 
Dorchester  County  Jail  and  House  of  Correction,  183 
Gloucester  County  Jail  and  Penitentiary,  - 199 


Amount 
of  earning , 
£1119 
601 
516 
2209 
830 
133 
1425  , 


227 

858 

154 

675 

120 


Twelve  among1  the  most  productive  Prisons  \ 3699  £8867 

in  England,  containing  - 5 Equal  in  dol- 

lars to  41,727 


IK  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

State  Prison  in  Maine,  - - 1827, 

State  Prison  in  New  Hampshire,  1825, 
State  Prison  in  Massachusetts,  - 1827, 

State  Prison  at  Wethersfield,  Conn.  1828, 
State  Prison  at  Auburn,  N.  Y.  1827, 

Five  among  the  most  productive  prisons  in 
the  United  States,  - 


Number 

Amount 

of  convicts. 

of  earning. , 

71 

$8564 

70 

9949 

285 

22,732 

97 

7230 

476 

33,504 

999 

$81,979 

“ According  to  this  statement,  in  England,  3699  con- 
victs earn  in  a year,  about  41,727  dollars.  And  in  the 
United  States,  999  convicts  earn  81,979  dollars,  or  about 
£T7,425.  Or  in  other  words,  a little  more  than  one-fourth 
part  the  number  of  convicts  in  the  United  States,  earn 


40 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


more  than  double  the  amount  of  nearly  four  times  the  num- 
ber of  convicts  in  England.’’ 

The  above  great  difference  in  the  returns  from  the  la- 
bour of  the  convicts,  depends  chiefly  on  the  difference  in 
the  discipline^  but  partly  no  doubt  on  the  diet.  At  all  the 
five  American  prisons  above  mentioned,  the  animal  food  al- 
lowed to  each  man  per  day,  is  not  less  than  one  pound, 
which  is  not  more  than  sufficient  considering  the  nature  of 
their  constant  and  hard  labour.  In  England,  the  quantity 
of  animal  food  is  very  small — a pound,  or  half  a pound 
a- week. — (Third  Report,  page  56.) 

A convict  brought  to  one  of  these  prisons,  whatever  may 
have  been  his  previous  life,  is  speedily  instructed  in  many 
useful  things,  of  which,  in  all  probability,  he  was  totally 
ignorant  before,  and  might  never  otherwise  have  come  to 
learn.  In  the  first  place,  he  is  taught  habits  of  industry; 
from  whence,  in  spite  of  himself,  he  is  made  sensible  how 
much  he  may  do  by  steady  labour.  He  is  taught  habits  of 
temperance,  of  which  virtue  he  probably  knew  nothing  at 
all  before;  and  what  may  tend  to  impress  its  value  on  his 
mind,  he  discovers  what  it  is  to  sleep  soundly,  to  rise  with- 
out a head-ach,  and  to  look  to  labour  as  a source  of  health, 
of  strength,  and  even  of  enjoyment,  as  a relief  from  the 
tedium  of  solitude.  He  also  learns,  what  certainly  he  ne- 
ver could  have  known  before,  habits  of  obedience,  and  of 
submission  to  something  stronger  than  his  own  perverse 
will.  It  may  be  said  that  this  obedience  is  compulsory  and 
irksome,  and  that  such  rigorous  discipline  can  be  enforced 
at  the  point  of  the  lash  alone.  Still  the  habit  is  engendered ; 
and  a man  who  by  any  means,  no  matter  what,  is  compelled 
to  obey  for  any  length  of  time  the  consistent  laws  of  a well 
regulated  prison,  will  leave  it,  I should  think,  better  dis- 
posed to  obey  the  general  laws  of  society  than  he  ever  was 
formerly.  He  is,  moreover,  made  acquainted  with  order, 
cleanliness,  and  punctuality,  all  new  and  agreeable  to  him. 
The  corruption  of  his  manners,  from  the  long-continued 
evils  of  vicious  intercourse  with  equally  bad,  or  worse  spi- 
rits than  himself,  is  entirely  put  a stop  to;  and  the  canker, 
if  it  have  not  fairly  reached  the  core,  may  yet  be  arrested — 
perhaps  eradicated.  In  aid  of  this  too,  it  must  be  recol- 
lected, that  the  only  voice,  except  that  of  stern  authority, 
which  he  is  ever  allowed  to  hear,  is  that  of  the  friendly 
chaplain.  Thus  his  sole  remaining  intercourse  with  socie- 
ty takes  place  through  a person  whose  duty  and  whose 
pleasure  it  is  to  lead  nis  thoughts  into  virtuous  channels, 
and  when  once  there  to  keep  them  fast.  “Mr.  Barrett,  the 


UNITED  STATES* 


41 


Y 


chaplain  of  Sing  Sing,”  says  the  Report  of  the  Boston  So- 
ciety,  “ expresses  a deep  and  increasing  interest  in  his  em- 
ployment, and  that  his  time  Hies  swiftly,  and  he  is  willing 
to  remain  where  he  is.” — {2d  Report,  p.  67.) 

That  any  person  should  be  willing  to  remain  amongst 
such  a set  of  men,  is  creditable  not  only  to  himself  indivi- 
dually, but  to  the  system  by  which  his  exertions  are  made 
so  useful,  as  to  act  the  part  of  an  agreeable  stimulus  to  duty. 
The  pleasure  which  this  amiable  man  speaks  of,  arises,  un- 
doubtedly, from  those  incipient  buddings  of  sympathy,  if  I 
I may  so  express  myself,  which  spring  up  in  his  "path ; by 
which  he  learns,  that  no  field,  however  barren  it  may  seem 
| to  careless  eyes,  can  be  unfertile,  wdien  watered  by  those 
dews,  which  by  his  sacred  commission  he  is  commanded  to 
j shed  alike  over  the  just  and  the  unjust. 

As  a part  of  this  system,  therefore,  I should  have  men-' 
, tioned  before,  that  a Bible  is  placed  in  every  cell,  and  is 
the  only  book  the  convicts  are  allowed  to  see.  The  pri- 
' soner  may  read  it,  or  let  it  alone,  as  he  pleases;  but  when, 
we  consider  that  this  is  the  only  occupation  of  his  solitude, 
and  that,  except  on  Sunday,  the  opportunities  of  leisure  are 
few  and  brief,  the  chances  are,  that  sooner  or  later  he  will 
i be  tempted  to  try.  “I  should  like  to  see,”  said  a hardened 
convict  to  the  chaplain  upon  one  occasion,  64  what  sort  of 
stuff  the  Bible  is  made  of.”  Exactly  in  the  same  way, 
probably,  a prisoner  may,  and  often  does,  turn  a deaf  ear 
at  first  to  the  service  read  to  him  every  morning  and  even- 
ing;  or,  like  his  betters,  he  may  sometimes  sleep  through 
the  sermon;  or  he  may  sullenly  reject  those  Sunday  visits 
which,  by  the  rules  of  the  prison,  the  clergymen  alone  is 
authorized  to  pay  every  one  who  shall  intimate  his  wish  to 
that  effect.  But  in  the  course  of  time,  when  he  finds  that 
these  words  are  the  only  sounds  he  is  permitted  to  hear, 
save  those  of  arbitrary  command,  and  that  the  occasional 
companionship  of  the  chaplain  forms  the  only  link  by  which 
he  is  held  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  he  must  come,  if  there 
be  a spark  of  good  in  his  composition-— and  in  whom  is  there 
not  something  that  is  good?— to  feel  the  amusement  at  least, 
and  eventually  perhaps,  the  profit  of  these  lessons. 

As  many  of  the  convicts,  however,  were  found  unable  to 
read,  it  seemed  rather  a mockery  to  place  books  in  their 
cells;  and  this  reflection  probably  suggested  the  experiment 
of  a Sunday  school  at  Auburn,  in  the  summer  of  1826,  at 
which  50  of  the  most  ignorant  of  the  convicts,  whose  age 
did  not  exceed  25,  were  placed.  The  privilege  was  em- 
braced with  the  greatest  avidity  and  apparent  thankfulness, 
Yol.  i,  5 


42 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


and  ilie  school  has  since  been  extended  to  a hundred  and 
twenty -five  members.  44  The  prisoners  were  divided  into 
classes  of  five  or  six,  and  instructed,5’  says  Mr.  Powers, 
the  keeper,  44  by  students  belonging  to  the  Theological  Se- 
minary of  the  village  of  Auburn,  wdio,  to  the  number  of 
twenty,  benevolently  offered  their  services.”  The  disci- 
pline of  the  prison,  however,  is  not  relaxed  on  these  occa- 
sions more  than  is  absolutely  necessary;  and  while  the  con- 
victs who  form  the  classes  are  under  the  general  superin- 
tendence of  the  chaplain,  they  are  at  the  same  time  closely 
watched  by  vigilant  officers  of  the  prison.  By  the  last 
official  report  of  the  keeper,  7th  January,  1828,  it  appears 
that  nearly  one-fourth  of  all  the  convicts  in  the  prison  at- 
tend the  Sunday  school;  the  number  being  125  out  of  about 
550  prisoners. 

It  is  not  my  intention,  as  I said  before,  to  enter  at  pre- 
sent into  the  merits  of  this  plan  compared  with  that  of  en- 
tire solitude  day  and  night;  but  I may  mention  as  I go 
along,  that  every  thing  I have  seen  in  America  and  elser 
where,  satisfies  me  that  nothing  useful  can  ever  be  effected 
in  any  department  of  life,  bodily  or  mental,  unless  a cer- 
tain portion  of  cheerfulness  forms  one  of  the  ingredients  in 
the  mixture.  Now,  there  seems  to  be  no  other  device  or 
substitute  by  which  this  indispensable  requisite  to  success 
can  be  supplied,  but  the  companionship  of  our  fellow  men. 
This,  after  all,  is  the  true  vital  principle  of  our  social  at- 
mosphere; without  it  we  either  die  or  become  deranged,  or 
3’emain  to  stagnate  in  useless  degradation;  or,  which  is  far 
more  probable,  become  more  and  more  corrupt.  It  appears 
to  me,  therefore,  after  examining  the  subject  attentively  on 
the  spot,  under  a great  variety  of  aspects,  that  the  mini- 
mum degree  of  cheerfulness  that  will  answer  the  purpose 
is  allowed  to  the  prisoners  in  the  penitentiaries  alluded  to, 
by  their  being  permitted  to  labour  in  company.  They  can- 
not interchange  thoughts,  or  hold  any  sociable  intercourse 
whatsoever;  but  still  they  do  see  the  human  face  divine; 
they  feel  that  they  are  not  altogether  abandoned  and  shut 
out  from  the  world;  and  although  this  association  be  pur- 
posely made  one  of  toil  and  of  disgrace,  still  it  is  not  so 
dreadful  as  the  unvaried  companionship  of  their  own  guilty 
thoughts.  This  consideration,  by  the  way,  many  people 
are  apt  to  disregard.  Because,  forsooth,  they  themselves 
are  virtuous,  and  stand  in  need  of  no  more  cakes  and  ale, 
they  fancy  they  might  be  cheered,  instead  of  being  tortured, 
by  the  exclusive  and  fearful  process  of  dissecting  their  own 
thoughts* 


UNITED  STATES. 


43 


For  all  the  useful  purposes  of  reflection,  twelve  hours 
out  of  twenty-four  are  surely  abundantly  sufficient;  and  if 
this  interval  be  passed  in  rigorous  solitude,  after  a long  and 
speechless  day  of  hard  labour,  there  will  remain,  I am  sure, 
enough  of  sorrow  in  the  captive’s  cup  to  excite  no  wish  on 
his  part  to  repeat  the  draught,  nor  any  desire  on  that  of 
others  to  share  in  such  a banquet. 

It  often  occurred  to  me,  during  my  visits  to  these  mise- 
rable abodes  of  guilt  and  punishment,  that  one  of  the  most 
powerful  motives  to  virtuous  action  might  with  great  ease 
be  introduced  into  all  of  them,  as  a branch  not  only  of  the 
mere  prison  discipline,  but  as  a source  of  eventual  advan- 
tage to  the  prisoners  themselves,  and  consequently  to  their 
country.  The  motive  I allude  to  is  hope, — blessed  hope! 
At  present  the  lash,  that  prompt,  severe,  efficacious,  but,  I 
much  fear,  indispensable  weapon,  is  the  grand  instrument 
by  which  the  well-explained  rules  of  these  Penitentiaries 
are  enforced.  I use  the  word  indispensable,  because  I con- 
ceive it  hardly  possible  to  do  away  with  this  rigorous  me- 
thod of  compelling  the  obedience  of  hardened,  and,  morally 
speaking,  unfeeling  villains,  without  substituting  punish- 
ments incomparably  more  severe,  and  at  the  same  time 
less  effectual.  Along  with  it,  however,  a more  generous 
motive  than  fear  may  very  well  come  into  play.  Why,  if 
disobedience  be  punished,  should  not  obedience  be  reward- 
ed? And  how  easy  it  would  be  to  give  the  convicts  a direct 
and  immediate  interest  in  conforming  to  the  rules  of  the 
place.  Suppose  a prisoner  were  sentenced  to  several  years5 
confinement;  then,  if  he  behave  well  for  a week  together, 
let  one  day  be  struck  off  his  term  of  confinement;  if  he 
continue  to  deport  himself  correctly  for  a month  more,  let 
the  term  of  his  detention  be  shortened  a fortnight;  and  if 
lie  shall  go  on  steadily  for  six  months,  then  let  half  a year 
be  struck  off  his  whole  period;  and  so  on,  according  to  any 
ratio  that  may  be  found  suitable. 

It  must  surely  be  the  wish  of  society  in  general  to  let  a 
prisoner  out  as  soon  as  possible,  consistently  with  a certain 
salutary  effect  on  himself,  and  on  others.  Now,  it  has  al- 
ways seemed  to  me,  that  by  this  process  of  giving  the  con- 
vict a constant,  personal  interest  in  behaving  well  during 
his  confinement,  not  only  might  the  seeds  of  virtue  be  sownj 
but  the  ground  put  in  good  order  for  their  future  growth 
Consequently,  I conceive,  we  should  thus,  in  most  cases, 
antedate  the  allowable  moment  of  the  prisoner’s  release, 
and  still  produce  all  the  effect  desired,  or,  to  speak  more 
.coirectly^  all  the  good  that  is  possible. 


44 


travels  in  the 


I observe  by  the  official  returns,  that  in  consequence  of 
the  free  use  of  the  pardoning  power  on  the  part  of  govern- 
ment, very  few  prisoners  ever  do  serve  out  their  whole 
term  of  sentence,  even  as  things  are  now  regulated.  This 
is  loudly  and  universally  complained  of,  from  its  unsettling 
the  whole  machinery  of  penal  enactments,  and  depriving 
punishment  of  more  than  half  its  terrors,  by  removing  all 
its  certainty.  But  if  the  plan  1 have  suggested  were  adopt- 
ed, the  evils  of  uncertainty,  which  are  great,  would  fall 
entirely  to  the  prisoner’s  share,  not  to  that  of  the  public, 
from  being  made  contingent  on  his  own  conduct.  There 
would  then  be  only  one  way  for  him  to  shorten  the  duration 
of  his  captivity,  namely,  his  own  steady  adherence  to  the 
rules  of  the  prison.  Of  course  the  pardoning  power  would 
require  to  be  tied  up  more  strictly  than  it  is,  and  impera- 
tively limited,  by  law,  to  those  cases  alone  where  farther 
evidence  should  arise  to  disprove  the  supposed  guilt,  and 
show  the  sentence  to  have  been  unjust. 

I shall  be  much  rejoiced  to  see  this  experiment  tried  in 
America,  which  has  so  admirably  led  the  wav  in  this  mat- 
ter. I am  sure  it  will  not  only  benefit  society  at  large,  but 
probably  the  convicts  themselves.  It  would  also,  I am 
sure,  help  to  lighten  the  burdens  of  that  valuable  class  of 
men,  the  keepers,  whose  zeal  in  this  cause  often  excited 
my  admiration;  and  who,  I am  convinced,  would  be  glad 
to  be  aid-ed  in  their  discipline  by  some  principle  like  this, 
which  should  induce  the  prisoners  to  co-operate  heartily 
with  them,  instead  of  eternally  wishing  to  defy  and  thwart 
them. 

In  the  meantime,  it  is  interesting  to  see  what  has  been 
done  in  that  country,  and  I am  happy  to  have  high  author! 
fy  to  quote  upon  the  occasion. 

6i  Sufficient  time  has  not  elapsed  fully  to  develope  the  in- 
fluence of  confinement  in  this  prison,”  such  are  the  words 
of  Judge  Powers,  the  excellent  superintendent  at  Auburn, 
44  in  reforming  the  habits  and  dispositions  of  men,  but 
enough  has  appeared  to  promise  the  most  favourable  results. 
There  have  been  fewer  reconvictions,  compared  to  the  num- 
ber of- convicts,  in  this,  than  in  any  other  known  prison. 
From  167  of  the  convicts  last  received,  there  were  but 
three  or  four  reconvictions.” 

64  In  the  year  1826  there  were  admitted  into  the  prison 
at  Auburn  133  prisoners,  of  whom  there  were  received, 


On  first  sentence,  - - 129 

Second  do. 4 


or  the  reconvictions  were  to  the  first  convictions  as  1 to  32; 


UNITED  STATES. 


45 


while  at  the  prison  of  the  city  and  county  of  Philadelphia? 
which  is  managed  on  the  ordinary  plan  of  allowing  the  pri- 
soners to  associate,  the  numbers  stood  thus,  in  the  same 
year,  1826:— 


On  the  first  sentence,  - - - 231 

On  the  second  do.  - - - 42 

Third  do.  - 17 

Fourth  do.  ....  5 

Fifth  do.  - 1 


<or  the  recommitments  wrere  as  one  to  three  and  a half. 

“‘Let  it  not  be  understood,  however,”  says  Judge  Powers^ 
“that  we  expect  that  all,  or  nearly  all,  who  are  or  may  be 
confined  in  this  prison,  will  be  reformed.  Such  an  event 
can  by  no  means  be  calculated  upon  by  any  man  in  his  so- 
ber senses.  There  always  will  be  many  who,  previous  to 
their  confinement,  had  become  so  hardened  in  villany,  so 
lost  to  all  that  is  decent  and  good,  and  so  insensible  to  mo- 
ral  obligation,  that  no  rational  hope  of  their  being  essen- 
tially benefited,  by  any  course  of  discipline,  can  be  enter- 
tained, except  what  may  arise  from  the  interposition  of  a 
divine  agency. 

“ In  every  large  establishment,  there  will  always  be  a 
class  of  convicts,  who  may  be  appropriately  styled — state 
prison  characters.  A prison  is  their  element.  They  can 
seemingly  breathe  no  other  air.  If  you  throw  them  back 
upon  the  world,  they  are  not  satisfied  till  they  are  again  in 
prison.  If  their  sentence  be  short,  when  it  expires,  they 
go  out  but  to  be  reconvicted,  and  to  be  returned.  So  they 
live,  and  so  they  die;  and  it  is  from  this  class  that  recon- 
victions, for  the  most  part,  take  place,  and  are  to  be  ex- 
pected. 5’t 

I have  reluctantly  omitted  many  curious  and  important 
details  connected  with  this  admirable  system $ but  any  per- 
son having  farther  curiosity,  will  find  this  particular  branch 
of  the  subject,  and  many  others  relating  to  the  prisons  of 
America,  treated  at  length  in  a very  masterly  style,  in  the 
1st,  2d,  anti  3d  Reports  of  the  Prison  Discipline  Society  of 
Boston,  which  may  be  procured  from  Mr.  Miller,  American 
bookseller,  Pall  Mall,  London. 

* Third  Report  of  the  Boston  Prison  Discipline  Society,  p.  53. 

t Report  of  Gershom  Powers  to  the  Legislature  of  New  York,  7tb 
Jan.  1828,  p.  63, 

5* 


46 


travels  in  the 


CHAPTER  III. 

On  the  31st  of  May,  1827,  we  proceeded  to  West  Point, 
some  thirty  miles  farther  up  the  glorious  Hudson,  the  beau- 
ties of  which  increased  as  we  went  onwards,  till  at  the 
place  we  had  now  reached,  the  scenery  had  acquired  all  the 
grandeur  of  the  finest  Highland  lochs  of  Scotland,  as  far  as 
altitude  or  form  are  concerned,  with  the  additional  embel- 
lishment of  a rich  coating  of  foliage,  reaching  from  the  tops 
of  the  highest  mountains,  m some  places  nearly  to  the  water’s 
edge.  The  general  direction  of  the  river  was  straight,'  but 
a sufficient  number  of  bends  occurred  to  take  olf  any  ap- 
pearance of  formality;  and  as  the  steam-boat  glided  across 
from  one  landing-place  to  another,  we  had  the  enjoyment 
of  much  variety  in  the  landscape;  and,  upon  the  whole,  I 
have  seldom,  if  ever,  seen  a more  beautiful  line  of  river 
scenery. 

Dinner  was  placed  on  the  deck  of  the  steam-boat  at  one 
o’clock,  in  the  cool  air,  under  the  comfortable  awning  with 
which  these  magnificent  vessels  are  furnished;  but  as  we 
had  breakfasted  late,  we  hesitated  about  taking  so  early  a 
dinner,  and  being  then  very  young  in  the  mysteries  of  Ame- 
rican travelling,  let  a good  meal  slip  by  us,  in  the  expecta- 
tion of  something  at  least  equally  good  at  West  Point, 
which  we  knew  we  should  reach  only  a couple  of  hours 
later  in  the  day.  Alas!  when  we  came  there  the  dinner 
was  over  long  before;  and  what  was  worse,  the  master  of 
the  house  had  gone  to  the  city,  while  the  mistress,  they  told 
us,  was  sick,  which  in  America  signifies  what  we  should 
call  being  unwell;  and  lastly,  as  the  highest  misfortune  of 
all,  the  black  cook  had  gone  out  to  take  a walk — who  ever 
heard  before  of  a cook  taking  a walk  ! — and  carried  the  key 
of  the  larder  in  his  pocket. 

Nothing  makes  people  so  selfish,  all  the  world  over,  as 
an  empty  stomach;  we  affected,  indeed,  to  be  indifferent  to 
this  ourselves,  while  we  felt,  and  scrupled  not  to  express 
all  sorts  of  anxiety  on  the  little  girl’s  account,  who  was 
whining  from  time  to  time  from  sheer  hunger.  During  all 
the  morning  she  had  been  dragging  the  passengers  about 
the  decks  of  the  steam-boat,  opening  every  box  and  door 
that  she  could  get  at,  till  she  fairly  dropped  asleep  at  full 
length  in  the  middle  of  the  deck.  On  coming  to  West 
Point  her  slumbers  were  interrupted,  and  the  tough  climb 
up  to  the  Military  Academy,  on  a table  land  200  feet  above 


UNITED  STATE'S,  47 

the  river,  did  not  help  to  restore  her  young  ladyship’s  good- 
humour. 

On  learning  the  above  melancholy  intelligence  respecting 
the  vanished  dinner,  I sallied  forth  myself  to  the  kitchen, 
in  quest  of  some  bread  and  milk.  Here  I fell  in  with  a 
good-natured  fellow,  a raw  Irish  waiter,  who,  after  a clat- 
tering search  amongst  an  army  of  mugs  and  jugs,  declared^ 
with  a rueful  countenance,  that  the  cadets  of  the  establish- 
ment had  managed— bad  luck  to  them  !*— to  swallow  every 
drop  of  milk  in  the  house.  In  this  dilemma,  as  our  friend 
declared  himself  fairly  nonplussed,  I made  a soft  appeal  to 
a great  strapping  negress,  a cook-wench,  more  than  half  hid 
behind  several  mountains  of  dirty  plates,  just  removed 
from  the  adjacent  room,  where  no  fewer  than  twenty  dozen 
cadets  had  dined. 

44 1 am  sure,”-  said  I,  44  you  could  manage  to  get  me  a 
drop  of  milk  for  my  little  girl— if  you  would  only  try?” 

44  Well,  master,  I will  try,”  she  said,  and  smiling  at 
the  earnest  manner  in  which  I spoke,  discovered  two  rows 
of  teeth  so  bright  and  clear,  that  X dare  swear  many  a rich 
and  fair  dame  would  fain  have  given  her  best  string  of  pearls 
in  exchange.  Leaving  Pat  and  me  in  charge  of  the  plates, 
away  she  ran  with  a bowl  in  her  hand,  to  milk  a cow  stray- 
ing about  in  the  exercising  ground,  and  in  less  than  five 
minutes  afterwards  little  Miss  was  gobbling  if  up.  Our 
countryman,  the  waiter,  who  was  determined  not  to  be  out- 
done by  the  ebony  damsel  of  the  ivory  teeth,  slipped  off 
upon  seeing  her  success,  and  presently  re-appeared  in  the 
kitchen,  holding  up  in  triumph  a great  beef-steak,  half  as 
large  as  my  waistcoat. 

The  Military  Academy  at  West  Point  is  the  only  institu- 
tion of  the  kind  in  the  United  States,  which  is  maintained 
entirely  at  the  expense  of  the  general  government.  The 
object  in  view,  I am  told,  is  not  so  much  to  breed  up  young 
men  for  actual  military  service,  as  to  disseminate  by  their 
means,  throughout  the  different  parts  of  the  country,  a sound 
knowledge  of  the  accurate  sciences,  as  well  as  a taste  for 
literary  and  scientific  pursuits!  and  also  to  spread  more 
widely  correct  ideas  of  military  discipline  and  military 
knowledge.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that,  in  the  event  of 
any  war  in  America,  there  will  always  be  a full  supply  of 
men  willing  to  become  officers,  and  brave  enough,  as  far  as 
that  goes,  to  make  good  ones.  But  without  some  farther 
education  than  what  is  generally  attended  to  in  that  conn- 
fry, —say  the  friends  of  the  West  Point  establishment,—- 
the  adequate  amount  of  theoretical  knowledge  of  the  art 


48 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


of  war  will  certainly  not  be  forthcoming.  This  desidera- 
tum the  government  hope  to  supply,  by  distributing  through- 
out the  Union  a number  of  young  men,  educated  at  the  public 
expense,  and  well-grounded  in  the  practice  and  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  military  science,  as  far  at  least  as  these  can  be 
taught  at  school,  together  with  those  collateral  branches  of 
knowledge  which  are  generally  considered  useful  in  form- 
ing the  character  of  an  officer. 

The  institution,  as  far  as  I could  judge,  appeared  to  be 
very  well  conducted,  and  undoubtedly  it  does  much  credit 
to  the  ingenuity  and  public  spirit  of  the  statesmen  who  de- 
vised it.  But  whether  it  will  effect  the  purpose  intended, 
is  another  question.  I suspect  it  neither  will  nor  can  pro- 
duce much  good  in  the  way  proposed,  and  fear,  indeed,  that 
it  will  not  have  the  effect  of  diffusing  so  generally  as  its 
friends  suppose,  any  useful  knowledge  of  those  severer 
studies  which  are  followed  at  West  Point.  I thought  other- 
wise on  first  seeing  the  institution  in  question;  but,  after 
having  viewed  the  country  from  end  to  end,  the  confidence 
formerly  entertained  of  its  utility  was  much  weakened. 

My  early  impressions  certainly  were  that  the  West  Point 
Academy  would  do  much  good,  by  spreading  knowledge 
and  taste  of  a higher  order  than,  I was  assured,  was  any 
where  else  to  be  found  in  the  country.  I then  sincerely 
rejoiced  at  its  success,  so  far,  and  do  so  still,  though  with 
.slender  hopes  of  its  doing  the  country  any  essential  service. 
When  we  consider  the  tide  of  population  and  of  free  ac- 
tion which  are  flowing  over  the  United  States,  and  look  to 
its  prosperity  in  many  respects.,  it  is  highly  desirable  on 
their  own  account,  as  well  as  that  of  other  nations,  that 
correct  knowledge  should  accompany  their  progress.  A 
certain  amount,  and  a particular  description  of  knowledge, 
the  nation  will  get,  unquestionably;  and  that  of  military 
matters  amongst  the  rest.  Now,  certainly,  it  is  much  bet- 
ter for  all  parties,,  that  they  should  obtain  it  in  a liberal  and 
gentleman-like  style,  and  in  a way  which  renders  it  sus- 
ceptible of  being  generally  diffused,  than  that  they  should 
attain  it  by  remoter  and  confined  means — by  foreign  ser- 
vice, for  instance. 

My  reasons  for  so  thinking  are,  that  I conceive  the 
chances  of  America  and  England  remaining  on  good  terms 
bear  some  ratio  to  the  degree  of  acquaintance  they  have 
with  one  another’s  power.  In  proportion  as  information  of 
any  kind,  but  particularly  that  which  relates  to  science,  is 
extended  in  America,  so  will  their  military  knowledge  be 
improved.  - The  knowledge  of  one  science,  we  know,  al° 


UNITED  STATES. 


49 


ways  begets  a love  for  others!  and  if  these  young  and  pro- 
perly  educated  men,  should  carry  with  them  to  the  back- 
woods,  or  other  remote  parts  of  the  states,  much  well- 
. grounded  and  useful  information,  they  might  be  expected 
to  exert  themselves,  not  only  to  advance  farther  in  this 

march  of  intellect,”  but  to  impart  what  they  knew  to 
others,  and  thus  to  open  new  veins  in  the  inexhaustible 
mines  of  knowledge. 

Supposing  all  this  to  take  place,  according  to  the  most 
sanguine  views  of  its  projectors,  we  must  recollect  that  En- 
glish books  will  continue  for  a long  time  to  form  the  prin- 
cipal channel  through  which  the  information  ailuded  to  must 
flow,  and  more  or  less  of  a kindly  feeling  ought,  one  would 
think,  to  be  carried  along  with  the  stream!  and  thus  the 
Americans  might  come  in  time  to  know  and  esteem  other 
countries  more  than  they  appear  to  do  at  present.  As  their 
own  taste  for  science  and.  letters  improved,  it  might  be  hoped 
they  would  learn  to  value  it  in  other  , and,  consequently, 
be  more  cordially  disposed  to  u§!  less  apt  to  take  or  to  give 
offence!  and  eventually  arrive  at  a better  frame  of  mind, 
nationally  speaking,  than  they  now  are  in,  with  respect  t© 
England. 

Precisely  for  the  same  reason  that  I should  prefer  dealing 
with  a man  of  intelligence  and  good  sense  as  my  rival  in 
war  or  in  any  other  pursuit,  rather  than  with  a blockhead — - 
so  I should  say  England  ought  to  wish  America  to  be  wise 
and  weli  informed,  under  any  possible  view  of  political  re- 
lationship. For  my  own  part,  I see  no  limits  to  this,  and 
should  rejoice  with  all  rny  heart  if  America  were  as  far  ad- 
vanced in  literature,  in  science,  in  military  and  naval  know- 
ledge, in  taste,  in  the  fine  arts,  in  manufactures,  in  com- 
merce^— in  short,  in  every  thing,  as  any  part  of  Europe, 
No  power  can  stop  them!  at  least,  if  they  do  not  stop  them- 
selves!— 'for  if  the  elements  of  real  improvement  be  in  ex= 
istence  there,  we  might  as  well  try  to  check  the  revolution 
of  the  earth  upon  its  axis,  as  to  retard  that  nation,  if  it  shall 
once  acquire  the  due  momentum  in  such  a career.  What 
is  likely  to  take  place,  all  things  considered,  I do  not  sayi 
but  I venture  to  predict,  that  every  fresh  approximation  to 
European  knowledge,  and,  consequently,  to  power  and  to 
virtue,  in  America,  will  only  strengthen  our  mutual  good- 
will, and  can  never  injure  either  party.  A more  unworthy 
or  short-sighted  jealousy,  therefore,  cannot  be  imagined^ 
than  that  which  looks  to  the  advances  which  may  be  made 
by  that  country  in  knowledge,  with  any  feelings  but  those 
of  honest  sympathy. 


50 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


The  number  of  students  at  West  Point  is  limited  to  25 0$ 
the  average  age  of  admission  being  17,  and  by  law  they  can- 
not enter  under  14.  The  period  of  study  is  four  years  be- 
fore they  can  acquire  their  diploma,  or  certificate.  The 
nominations  lie  with  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
who  selects  a proportion  of  candidates  from  each  state;  and 
the  applications  are  said  to  be  numerous  and  urgent,  al- 
though a very  rigid  probationary  examination  takes  place 
in  the  first  instance.  If  the  candidate  cannot  pass  this  or- 
deal, he  is  rejected;  but  if  he  get  over  it  successfully,  he  is 
then  taken  upon  trial  for  six  months;  and  if  he  stands  this 
also  with  proper  credit,  he  is  admitted  as  a cadet;  other- 
wise, his  friends  receive  a hint  to  withdraw  him. 

The  chief  studies  are  the  mathematics,  which  are  car- 
ried to  a very  respectable  height.  Civil  and  military  en- 
gineering, fortification,  and  surveying  are  duly  attended  to. 
Astronomy,  too,  is  taught;  but  as  there  is  not  yet  a single 
observatory  throughout  the  whole  United  States,  an  ac- 
quaintance with  this  science  must,  in  the  meantime,  go  for 
little.  The  cadets  are  taught  drawing,  and  they  also  learn 
to  read  French,  though  not  to  speak  it,  the  sole  object  being 
to  give  them  the  means  of  consulting  the  authorities  on  mi- 
litary subjects  in  that  language.  Chemistry  and  mineralo- 
gy, as  well  as  ethics  and  the  belles  lettres,  form  parts  of 
the  course. 

The  discipline  appears  to  be  strict,  and  efficient  in  all  re- 
spects. To  assist  in  this  object,  a register  is  kept  of  the 
demerits  of  every  cadet,  so  as  to  furnish  at  a glance  the 
means  of  knowing  how  each  one  has  behaved  throughout  the 
year,  or  month,  or  even  week.  Perhaps  this  kind  of  regis- 
ter is  well  known;  but  as  it  was  new  to  me,  and  is  adopted 
with  slight  modifications  at  many  schools  and  colleges  in 
other  parts  of  the  United  States,  a word  or  two  respecting 
it  may  be  interesting. 

There  are  seven  classes  of  offences,  the  gravest  being  No. 
1,  and  the  most  trivial  No.  7.  I did  not  obtain  a memo- 
randum of  these  delinquencies;  but  I think  No.  2 was  fora 
sentry  sleeping  on  his  post;  and  this  reminds  me  that  the 
cadets  are  made  to  mount  guard,  march  about  the  country, 
and  do  all  the  military  duties  of  soldiers,  as  if  West  Point 
were  in  fact  a garrison.  Against  the  name  of  every  cadet 
are  ruled  seven  columns;  and  the  number  of  times  during 
the  week  that  he  has  fallen  under  any  particular  head  of  er- 
ror, is  jotted  in  its  proper  column.  Each  of  these  columns 
has  a specific  multiplier,  that  of  the  graver  offences  being 
the  largest,  and  so  on.  At  the  end  of  the  week  or  month* 


UNITED  STATES. 


51 


the  numbers  in  the  columns  are  summed  up  separately,  and 
then  by  multiplying  the  number  of  times  each  offence  has 
been  committed  by  its  proper  multiplier,  and  adding  the 
whole  together,  a sum  total  of  delinquency  is  obtained. 

I much  doubt  if  any  thing  useful,  with  respect  to  charac- 
ter is  made  out  by  this  artificial  system  of  recording  faults, 
it  may  increase  the  vigilance  of  the  young  men,  and  it  cer- 
tainly affords  a ready  method  of  classification.  But  it  does 
seem  rather  hard  that  a youth’s  academic  delinquencies 
should  be  printed  and  circulated  over  the  whole  country. 
It  looks  somewhat  like  bearing  malice;  and  it  must  certain- 
ly cramp  a generous  mind  to  find  itself  placed  under  the 
consciousness  that  all  its  faults  are  recorded  and  conned 
over  in  a note  book.  In  every  kind  of  discipline,  military  or 
domestic,  one  of  the  greatest  secrets  is,  to  punish  offences — a 
if  punished  at  all — adequately  and  at  once;  but,  in  every 
case,  to  let  both  the  crime  and  its  correction  be  forgotten, 
from  the  instant  they  are  thus  weighed  against  one  another, 
and  the  balance  settled.  If  the  old  fault  be  ever  again  cast 
up  to  the  offender,  it  is  proof  positive  that  the  punishment 
is  not  yet  over;  and  the  fair  measure  or  balance  alluded  to 
is  destroyed.  The  sufferer  sees  no  chance  of  future  good 
behaviour  re-establishing  his  character;  since  he  is  made 
to  feel,  by  these  undying  reminiscences  of  error  and  dis- 
grace, that  the  contamination  0/ his  motives  is  looked  upon 
as  indelible. 

I have  the  printed  list  for  1826  now  before  me.  It  has  in 
it  the  names  of  222  cadets,  with  the  demerit  numbers  against 
each.  Only  seven  of  these  are  blank,  or  quite  immaculate^ 
the  first  hundred  have  all  under  80;  the  next  hundred  have 
numbers  less  than  230;  and  one  poor  fellow  has  621  black 
balls  against  him! 

The  commandant  was  kind  enough  to  take  me  over  the 
whole  establishment,  including  several  of  the  class-rooms, 
where  the  cadets  were  hard  at  work  in  a very  business-like 
manner;  My  opinion  was  asked  about  several  points,  and 
of  course  freely  given.  I felt  scrupulous  as  to  intruding  it 
upon  subjects  to  which  my  attention  was  not  expressly  called, 
especially  as  it  happened  that  I was  merely  asked  what  things 
I approved  of,  never  the  contrary.  There  was  much,  indeed, 
to  commend,  and  only  small  matters  to  object  to,  and  I was 
quite  as  well  pleased  to  be  called  upon  to  praise.  Had  it 
been  otherwise,  I might  have  ventured  to  remark  that,  ac- 
cording to  European  rules,  the  cadets  were  remarkably  de- 
ficient in  that  erect  carriage  and  decided,  firm  gait,  which 
gives  what  in  the  old  world  is  called  a military  air,  and  is 


52 


'TRAVELS  IN  THE 


looked  upon  as  a primary  requisite  in  a soldier.  Instead 
of  the  chest  being  braced  or  held  forward,  it  is  drawn  back 
into  a concavity,  while  the  shoulders  necessarily  assume  a 
correspondent,  roundness.  To  foreign  eyes,  nothing  can  be 
more  awkward  than  this  mode  of  carrying  the  body.  In 
justification,  however,  of  the  practice  at  West  Point,  it  is 
fair  to  state  that  it  prevails  more  or  less  over  the  whole 
country ; and  being  nearly  as  characteristic  as  the  tone  of 
voice,  would  almost  as  inevitably  betray  an  American  in 
other  parts  of  the  world. 

On  the  next  day,  1st  of  June,  we  went  to  Catskill,  a very 
neat  respectable  town,  with  a couple  of  great  churches  side 
by  side,  a broad  street,  a quarter  of  a mile  long,  gay  shops, 
stages  and  hackney  coaches,  and  all  the  apparatus  of  a 
thriving  city.  A splendid  steam-boat,  called  the  Albany, 
took  us  in  nve  hours  and  three  quarters  from  West  Point, 
a distance  of  fifty-nine  miles,  including  stops  at  six  differ- 
ent landing  places,  to  take  on  board  and  put  on  shore  pas- 
sengers; thus  averaging  more  than  ten  miles  an  hour. 

These  embarkations  and  landings  are  cleverly  executed. 
When  the  steam-vessel  comes  within  500  yards  of  the  wharf, 
or  dock,  a bell  is  rung  on  board  to  give  warning  of  her  ap- 
proach. A little  boat  is  then  lowered  into  the  water  with 
two  hands  in  it,  and  is  towed  alongside,  till  nearly  abreast 
of  the  dock.  The  men  no^  put  off,  and  from  the  velocity 
acquired  by  the  steam-vessel,  easily  manage  to  sheer  them- 
selves, as  it  is  termed,  to  the  shore,  dragging  along  with 
them  a small  rope,  from  a coil  lying  on  the  deck  of  the  steam- 
boat. The  new  comers  who  are  waiting  on  the  shore,  jump 
into  the  boat  as  fast  as  they  can,  pitching  in  before  them 
their  trunks  and  bags.  When  all  is  ready,  one  of  the  sea- 
men in  the  boat  makes  a signal  to  the  steam-vessel,  which 
by  this  time  has  probably  shot  to  some  distance  past  the 
dock.  As  soon  as  the  signal  is  seen,  the  end  of  the  rope 
which  is  on  board  is  passed  round  a roller  moved  by  the  ma- 
chinery, and  the  boat  with  her  cargo  of  passengers  is  drawn 
swiftly  alongside,  and  little  or  no  time  is  lost.  Regulations 
exist,  I understood,  directing  steam-vessels  to  stop  their 
engines  entirely,  while  passengers  are  landed  or  taken  on 
board;  but  as  the  high  fever  of  competition  is  strong  upon 
them  all,  no  captain  wishes  to  lose  one  minute  of  time,  and 
therefore,  on  such  occasions,  the  paddle-wheels  are  merely 
slackened  a little  in  their  speed,  and  the  whole  operation  is 
performed  with  a rapidity  by  no  means  agreeable  to  nerves 
unaccustomed  to  fresh-water  navigation. 

On  landing  at  Catskill  dock,  sorely  shaken  and  bam- 


UNITED  STATES.  53 

boozled  with  the  velocity  of  this  mode  of  travelling,  we 
found  a coach,  or  as  it  is  called,  a stage,  ready  to  take  ns 
to  the  town.  An  American  stage  is  more  like  a French  di- 
ligence than  any  thing  else.  Like  that  vehicle  it  carries  no 
outside  passengers,  except  one  or  two  on  the  box.  It  has 
three  seats  inside,  two  of  which  are  similar  to  the  front  and 
back  seats  of  an  English  coach,  while  the  third  is  placed 
across  the  middle  from  window  to  window,  or  I might  say, 
from  door  to  door,  only  these  stages  very  seldom  have  more 
than  one  door.  Instead  of  panels,  there  hang  from  thereof 
leather  curtains,  which,  when  buttoned  down,  render  it  a 
close  carriage;  or  when  rolled  up  and  fastened  by  straps 
and  buttons  to  the  roof,  leave  it  open  all  round.  This  for 
summer  travelling  is  agreeable  enough;  but  how  the  passen- 
gers manage  in  the  severe  winters  of  the  north,  I do  not 
know;  for  certainly  we  found  it  on  many  occasions,  evem 
in  the  south,  uncomfortably  cold.  The  middle  seat  is 
movable  on  a sort  of  hinge,  that  it  may  be  turned,  horizon- 
tally, out  of  the  way  when  the  door  is  opened.  The  three 
passengers  who  sit  upon  it,  rest  their  backs  against  a stuffed 
leathern  strap,  permanently  buckled  to  one  side  of  the  car- 
riage, and  attached  to  the  other  side  by  means  of  a stout 
iron  hook.  These  ponderous  stages  are  supported  on  strong 
hide  straps,  in  place  of  steel  springs,  and  all  parts  are  made 
of  great  strength,  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to  enable 
them  to  bear  the  dreadful  joltings  on  the  miserable  roads 
they  have  but  too  frequently  the  fate  to  travel  over. 

On  the  2d  of  June,  we  climbed  up  the  beautiful  and  very 
steep  range  of  the  Catskill  mountains,  to  a place  called 
Pine  Orchard,  the  exact  meaning  of  which  appellation  I 
could  never  come  at.  There  were  plenty  of  pines,  indeed, 
and  the  scenery  both  at  that  spot  and  all  around  it  was  ex- 
tremely pretty.  The  valley  of  the  great  Hudson  lay  at  our 
feet,  and  when  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  steep  cliffs  of 
the  mountain,  which  faces  the  east,  we  could  distinguish, 
the  river  stealing  its  way  through  the  fertile  low  country, 
for  a distance  of  sixty  miles. 

Pine  Orchard  has  long  been  the  resort  of  picnic  parties 
from  New  York  and  Albany,  even  when  the  worthy  citi=> 
zens  had  to  find  their  way  up  or  down  the  river  in  sailing 
boats.  But  upon  the  introduction  of  steam,  the  number  of 
visiters  increased  so  rapidly,  that  the  slender  accommoda- 
tion afforded  to  the  clouds  of  tourists  by  a few  miserable 
sheds,  w?as  quite  inadequate.  One  of  the  enterprising  com- 
panies, however,  which  abound  in  that  country,  soon  found, 
in  a money  speculation,  a remedy  for  this  matter.  Straight- 
Yol.  i.  6 


54 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


way  there  rose  up,  like  an  exhalation,  a splendid  hotel,  on 
the  very  brink  of  tlie  precipice,  some  five-and-twenty  hun- 
dred  feet  above  the  river. 

It  was  a part  of  our  plan  to  take  all  things  leisurely;  we 
therefore  deferred  till  the  next  day  our  visit  to  the  Falls  of 
the  Cauterskill,  and  to  the  valley  called  the  Clove,  which, 
by  cutting  or  cleaving  these  mountains  by  a deep  inden- 
ture, shows  off  the  scenery  to  great  advantage.  The  ex- 
cursion cost  us  five  hours5  work;  for  we  had  to  scramble  or 
push  our  way  at  some  places  amongst  forests  growing  on 
banks  so  abrupt  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  along;  or  we  had 
to  pick  our  way  across  angry -looking  water-courses  on 
crazy,  rickety  planks,  or  what  was  still  worse,  on  stepping- 
stones,  both  slippery  and  unsteady.  The  fatigue  of  these 
pioneering  operations,  added  to  the  labour  of  admiring, 
made  us  enjoy  all  the  more  our  snug  little  dinner  alone,  on 
bur  return.  As  the  fashionable  season  had  not  yet  set  in, 
we  had  the  whole  house  to  ourselves;  and  this  being  the 
case,  we  had  time  to  look  back  upon  the  last  few  weeks, 
and  speculate  upon  the  new  country  in  which  we  found 
ourselves. . 

On  returning  from  the  mountains  to  the  peaceful-looking 
village  of  Catskill,  we  heard  the  sound  of  drums  beating,  and 
saw  on  all  sides  standards  flying  and  troops  moving  about — 
certainly  the  last  sight  we  had  expected  to  witness.  It 
happened  to  be  the  period  of  one  of  the  militia  trainings,  of 
which  several  occur  during  the  year.  Nothing  could  look 
more  immilitary  than  these  troops;  and  I much  question 
the  policy  of  keeping  up  such  a loose  system  of  discipline, 
and  of  exercise,  as  I saw  at  the  military  trainings  in  that 
country.  The  chances  certainly  are,  that  in  the  event  of 
real  service,  it  would  be  a much  easier  thing  to  bring  per- 
sons totally  unpractised,  into  good  fighting  order,  than 
to  unteach  the  bad  habits  inevitably  acquired  at  these  mul- 
tifarious, but  ill-regulated,  and  too  often  dissipated,  meet- 
ings. Such  at  least  was  the  opinion  of  almost  all  the  mili- 
tary men,  whether  natives  or  foreigners,  with  whom  I con- 
versed in  America. 

The  light  company  of  one  of  the  regiments  dined  at  the 
tavern  in  which  we  lodged.  I joined  the  party,  in  hopes 
of  being  able  to  get  some  chat  with  these  citizen  soldiers. 
But  one  and  all,  officers  and  privates,  snatched  up  their 
dinner  in  such  a hurry,  that  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes,  I 
found  myself  with  only  one  other  person  in  the  room.  This 
gentleman,  perceiving  me  to  be  a stranger,  and  I suppose 
looking  rather  adrift, — I am  sure  I felt  so,— introduced  him- 


UNITED  STATES. 


55 


self  to  me,  and  was  afterwards  very  kind  and  usefulin 
showing  me  the  place,  and  in  explaining  many  things  which 
I could  make  nothing  of  alone. 

In  Watterston’s  Tables,  printed  at  Washington  in  January 
1829,  the  militia  of  the  United  States  in  1827,  is  stated  at 
eleven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
eight.  The  estimated  population  of  the  whole  country,  in- 
cluding above  a million'  and  a half  of1  slaves,  on  the  first  of 
January  1828,  was  eleven  millions,  three  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  thousand,  four  hundred  and  sixtv-two,  which  makes 
every  eleventh  person,,  or  if  we'  exclude  the  slaves,  every 
tenth  person,  a militia  man. 

The  number  of  training  days  varies  in  different  parts  of 
the  Union.  Generally  speaking,  however,  I believe  there 
are  from  four  to  six  days  of  training  in  the  course  of  the 
' year.  The  government  provides  muskets  at  the  cost  of 
about  eight  dollars  each.  • The*  militia  Teceive  no  pay/  ex- 
cept when  called  into  actual  service,  and  then  they  are 
paid  exactly  as  the  regular  army. 

The  higher  classes  of  militia  officers  in  most  of  the  states 
are  nominated  by  the  governor,  and  appointed  by  him,  with 
the  consent  of  the  senate  of  the  state.  The  captains,  su- 
balterns, and  non-commissioned  officers,  are  elected  by  the 
written  votes  of  the  respective.; companies.  The  laws  re-' 
lating  to  the  militia  occupy  a great  space  in  all  the  different 
states,  and  are  a never-ending  source  of  discussion. 

As  there  was  every  prospect  of  a noisy  evening  at  all  the 
Catskill  taverns,  we  resolved  to  shift  our  quarters1  as  soon 
as  the  sun  had  fallen  low  enough  to  make  the  air  agreeable. 
Accordingly,  we  ordered  a carriage,  and  drove  through  a 
richly  wooded  and  populous  country. on  the  right  or  wes- 
tern bank  of  the  river,  for  about  five  miles.  This  brought 
us  to  the  village  of  Athens,  where  a commodious  horse  fer- 
ry-boat carried  us  across  to  one  of  the  quietest  and  neatest 
little  places  we  had  yet  seen. 

Just  as  the  sun  was  setting  beyond  the  high  range  of  the 
Catskill  mountains,  we  strolled  out  of  the  town,  without 
knowing  or  caring  much  where  we  went.  We  soon  found 
ourselves  on  the  brow  of  a rich  grassy  knoll,  overlooking  a 
sort  of  bay  or  bend  of  our  favourite  Hudson,  which  we  were 
never  tired  of  looking  upon.  The  sky  was  so  clear,  that 
the  grass  and  wildflowers,  shortly  after  sunset,  began  to 
catch  a little  moisture,  from  whence  rose  up,  on  every  side, 
afresh  flowery  smell  $ which,  together  with  the  cool,  light 
air  of  wind,  breathing  along  the  water,  whose  face  it  scarcely 
seemed  to  touch,  was  inexpressibly  refreshing,  and  helped 


56 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


to  restore  our  languid  spirits,  nearly  subdued  by  the  fatigues 
of  a long,  sultry,  busy  day.  The  child,  who  had  accom- 
panied us  all  the  morning,  though  unconscious  of  the 
cause,  likewise  felt  the  genial  influence  of  the  hour,  and 
amused  herself  at  our  feet  while  we  were  seated  on  the 
grass,  by  trying  to  imitate  the  sounds  made  by  a pig,  which 
had  thrust  himself  most  unpoetically  into  the  foreground  of 
the  picture,  and  there  busied  himself,  much  to  the  infant’s 
amusement,  in  making  a line  of  circumvallation  round  the 
party  with  his  snout. 

Of  course  it  had  been  a great  subject  of  discussion  before 
leaving  England,  whether  or  not  we  should  bring  this  young 
lady  with  us  on  the  journey;  and  at  the  particular  moment  I 
have,  been  describing,  when  the  first  plunge  was  to  be  made 
into  a sea  of  difficulties  and  hazardous  adventures,  it  was 
impossible  not  to  feel  anxious,  and  sometimes  distrustful,  of 
the  wisdom  of  the  decision  which  had  been  made.  But  on 
the  other  hand,  our  confidence  in  the  measure  alluded  to, 
was  much  increased  by  discovering  how  good  a traveller  the 
little  creature  made,  though  only  fourteen  months  old.  Of 
this  we  had  an  amusing  proof  on  the  morning  after  the  scene 
with  the  pig.  At  four  "o’clock  we  were  all  roused  up  to 
prepare  for  the  steam-boat,  which  passed  at  five.  I thought 
It  a pity  to  awake  her,  and  therefore  merely  wrapped  her 
up  in  my  boat-cloak,  in  which  she  was  carried  fully  half  a 
mile  to  the  landing  place.  There  the  young  adventurer  was 
laid  on  the  table  of  a warehouse,  in  the  midst  of  bells  ring- 
ing, doors  banging,  and  all  kinds  of  noise,  till  the  steam-boat 
hove  in  sight.  Still  she  slept  on  through  all  the  clatter 
of  the  passengers  and  paddle-wheels;  nor  ever  stirred  or 
opened  her  eyes,  till  we  had  left  the  pretty  town  of  Hud- 
son many  miles  astern. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  June  we  reached 
the  city  of  Albany,  the  capital*  or  rather  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, "of  the  state  of  New  York.  The  real  capital,  as  far 
as  wealth,  population,  and  importance  in  all  respects  are 
concerned,  is  the  great  commercial  city  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  which  gives  the  name  to  this  flourishing  portion  of  the 
Union. 

Albany,  however,  has  lately  been  brought  into  conside- 
rable mercantile  importance,  as  a place  of  transit  and  de- 
posit, by  the  great  Erie  Canal,  the  eastern  entrance  to  which 
lies  almost  within  the  town.  Much  of  the  intercourse,  too, 
between  New  York  and  the  Canadas,  and  between  the 
thriving  state  of  Ohio  to  the  westward,  and  New  England 
to  the  eastward,  passes  through  Albany;  so  that  even  be^ 


UNITED  STATES. 


.57 


fore  the  genius  and  perseverance  of  Fulton  had  shown  how 
to  cover  the  Hudson  with  steam-boats,  it  was  necessarily  a 
great  point  of  call.  Since  the  period  alluded  to,  the  in- 
tercourse has  been  multiplied  many  hundred  fold,  and  Al- 
bany, in  consequence,  is  rapidly  swelling  on  every  hand. 

Formerly  the  passage  from  New  York  to  Albany  was  con- 
sidered an  affair  of  a week  or  ten  days — three  days  was 
called  good,  and  forty -eight  hours  excellent-— though  a fort- 
night was  not  very  uncommon.  Now,  however,  the  same 
voyage  is  currently  made  in  thirteen  hours,  sometimes  in 
twelve,  and  it  has  been  done,  I am  told,  in  little  more  than 
eleven^  which,  considering  that  the  distance  is  145  miles, 
is  great  going. 

What  would  good  old  Hendrick  Hudson,  the  original 
founder  of  the  colony,  have  said,  had  he  looked  out  of  his 
grave,  and  seen  our  gallant  streamer,  the  Constellation, 
come  dying  past  him  like  a comet,  at  the  rate  of  twelve 
knots  an  hour?  He  would  be  apt  enough  to  declare,  that 
it  was  the  veritable  Flying  Dutchman,  of  which  so  much  has 
been  told;  and  his  first  emotions  might  probably  be  those 
of  envy  at  the  glorious  pipe  his  spectre  countryman  was 
smoking.  But  if  any  body  were  to  attempt  to  convince 
him  that  the  apparition  he  saw  dashing  by  at  the  peep  of 
day,  was  a ship  without  sails  or  oars,  which  had  left  Man- 
hattan Island,  or  New  York,  at  sunset  the  evening  before, 
the  worthy  old  gentleman  could  scarcely  be  blamed  for  de- 
claring the  whole  story,  with  all  its  circumstances,  a parcel 
of  monstrous  lies. 

It  is  not  Albany  alone,  however,  that  is  benefited  by 
these  numerous  and  swift-moving  vessels.  The  country, 
both  above  and  below,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  de- 
rives from  them  nearly  equal  advantages.  Stony  Pointy 
West  Point,  and  fifty  other  points,  and  towns,  and  -burgs,— 
Sparta,  Poughkeepsie,  Fishkill,  Newburgh,  Troy,  Glasgow, 
Gibbonsvilie,  and  so  on,  line  the  sides  of  this  immense  ar- 
tery, through  which  are  poured  the  resources  of  the  interior*, 
and  by  which  also  the  productions  of  every  corner  of  the 
globe  are  sent  back  to  the  heart  of  the  country.  Few  sea- 
port towns  in  the  world  can  pretend  to  any  comparison  with 
New  York | which  unites  in  itself  advantages  of  the  highest 
order  for  all  the  purposes  of  external  commerce,  backed  by 
at  least  commensurate  advantages  on  the  land  side.  These 
cannot  be  rivalled  in  America;  for  it  is  not  probable  that 
any  artificial  means  can  succeed  in  constructing  another  such, 
harbour;  and  I venture  to  prophesy,  that  the  various  attempts 
Aow  making  to  outdo  the  Erie  Canal  must  inevitably  faiC 


38 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


Nature  is  on  the  side  of -New  York|  and  that  energetic 
state  has  taken  such  advantage  of  the  alliance,  that  her  citi- 
zens need  have  no  fears  about  maintaining  the  ascendency. 

The  great  canal  which  extends  from  the  Hudson  to  Lake 
Erie,  sending  out  a feeder  to  Lake  Ontario  by  the  way,  and 
another  to  Lake  Champlain,  is  carried  through  a country 
so  peculiarly  adapted  to  all  canalling  purposes,  as  the  local 
phrase  is,  that  the  result,  contrary  to  the  usual  analogy,  has 
answered  the  expectations  of  its  projectors.  In  this  view 
it  is  pleasing  to  think  that  its  main  supporter,  through  all 
its  trials  and  doubts,  and  difficulties,  Mr.  De  Witt  Clin- 
ton, lived  to  see  its  complete  success,  and  to  reap, -in  words 
at  least,  the  full  acknowledgments  of  his  country. 

That  these  grateful  returns  were  unaccompanied  by  more 
solid  rewards,  is  a source  of  regret  with  every  right-think- 
ing man  I met  with  in  America.  The  starving  policy  which 
denies  to  meritorious  public  servants  any  permanent  pro- 
vision, after  a life  devoted  to  the  public  service,  must  of 
course  lessen  the  motives  to  useful  ambition  amongst  the 
persons  most  deserving  of  distinction,  because  most  com- 
petent to  exercise  power,  and  thus,  in  the  long  run,  the  pub- 
lic will  inevitably  be  much  worse  served.  There  is  a me- 
dium, surely,  between  wanton  profusion,  and  absolute,  in- 
discriminate neglect — a point  in  the  scale  of  remuneration  of 
some  kind  or  other,  which  would  command  the  highest  or- 
der of  talents  and  of  exertion  for  the  service  of  the  state.  In 
America,  however,  the  universal  policy — or  at  all  events 
the  practice— is  to  cast  public  servants  adrift,  and  pennyless, 
the  moment  their  services  are  no  longer  required.  The  en- 
thusiastic reception  of  La  Fayette  in  America,  so  often 
quoted  in  disproof  of  the  proverbial  ingratitude  of  republics, 
obviously  weighs  little  in  the  scale  against  the  neglect  of 
Jefferson,  Monroe,  Clinton,  and  other  statesmen,  whose 
lives  were  devoted  to  their  country — and  with  their  lives, 
unhappily  also,  their  fortunes. 

On  the  sixth  of  June  we  set  out  upon  an  excursion  into 
the  neighbouring  state  of  Massachusetts,  in  what  is  called 
an  accommodation  stage,  which  gave  us  the  advantage  of 
travelling  by  days  whereas  the  regular  coach  started  at 
night.  The  journey  was  only  38  miles,  but,  owing  to 
the  rough  and  hilly  roads,  the  dilatory  mode  of  changing 
horses,  and  the  eternal  stopping  to  water  them,  it  cost  us 
eight  hours  and  a half  of  very  hard  work;  rendered  still 
more  disagreeable  by  the  heat  and  the  dust,  and  by  the  stage 
being  crammed  quite  full. 

It  is  said  that  nothing  interests  readers  of  travels  more 


UNITED  STATES# 


59 


than  being  told  what  were  the  very  first  impressions  made 
by  the  presence  of  new  scenes;  I shall  therefore  venture, 
from  time  to  time,  to  state  exactly  what  was  their  earliest 
effect  upon  our  minds.  Some  of  these  impressions,  it  is 
true,  proved  erroneous;  but  others  bore  the  rubbing  of 
subsequent  experience,  with  am  exactness  which  often 
surprises  me  when  I look  over  my  early  notes.  One  of 
the  greatest  difficulties  of  travelling,  indeed,  is  to  distin- 
guish fairly  between  those  circumstances  which  are  perma- 
nently characteristic,  and  those  which  are  contingent  upon 
transient  causes.  Perhaps,  therefore,  as  this  art  is  not  to 
be  taught  by  any  mistress  but  experience,  every  journey 
ought  to  be  made  twice  over.  But  in  the  meantime,  as  it 
may  be  a long  while  before  I engage  in  this  double  duty  in 
the  case  of  America,  I must  take  my  chance  of  recording 
things  as  they  appeared  at  the  first  trial,  and  leave  them  to 
shift  for  themselves. 

Many  things  occurred  during  this  trip  into  Massachusetts 
to  revive  those  ideas,  in  which  probably  most  people  have 
indulged  their  fancy  at  some  time  of  their  lives,  as  to  what 
might  possibly  have  been  the  state  of  travelling,  and  other 
things,  in  Europe  a century  ago.  At  other  moments  there 
came  across  our  view  little  circumstances  which  irresistibly 
linked  our  thoughts  to  the  present  date  and  place;  and  anon 
others  started  up,  which  were  so  exactly  English  in  appear- 
ance, that  we  almost  forgot  how  far  we  were  off,  till  sud- 
denly recalled  to  the  spot  by  some  touch  of  foreign  idiom, 
or  manners,  or  scenery. 

On  reaching  the  village  of  West  Stockbridge,  where  we 
understood  our  friend  resided,  we  learnt  that  he  lived  at 
Old  Stockbridge,  and  that  we  had  still  five  miles  farther  to 
go,  “ unless,  perhaps,”  said  a person  standing  at  the  tavern 
j door,  “ the  gentleman  you  speak  of  may  be  at  New  Stock- 
i bridge.”  Here  was  a jumble!  But  at  last  we  obtained  a 
guide,  who  undertook  to  carry  us  in  a one-horse  wagon,  as 
it  is  called,  but  which  we  should  call  alight  cart,  with  seats 
placed  in  it  resting  on  wooden  springs.  Away  we  drove 
at  a round  pace,  through  a wooded  and  rather  hilly  coun- 
j try,  interspersed  with  patches  of  cultivated  land  in  the  val~ 

! leys,  and  innumerable  houses  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  from 
wooden  cottages  to  handsome  villas  and  great  staring  ta- 
verns. At  length,  some  time  after  sunset,  when  the  twi- 
light had  nearly  gone,  we  passed  through  a large  village 
consisting  entirely,  as  it  seemed  in  this  uncertain  light,  of 
| gentlemen’s  houses,  almost  hid  in  the  foliage  or  lost  in  the 
; the  trees  planted  in  thick  groups  round  them« 

J 


60 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


The  street,  or  rather  avenue,  through  which  we  passed., 
and  which  could  not  be  less  than  thirty  paces  across,  was 
lined  with  double  rows  of  tall  trees,  somewhat  in  the  fa- 
shion of  an  Italian  corso,  or  the  beautiful  prado  of  Spanish 
cities,  and  I almost  fancied  that  even  in  those  picturesque 
countries  I had  never  seen  a prettier  place.  Troops  of  peo- 
ple were  sitting  before  their  doors,  or  in  their  gardens;  all 
the  windows  were  thrown  open;  and  w7e  could  see  quite 
through  the  houses.  My  imagination  was  carried  away  to 
the  region  of  the  tropics,  where  alone  I had  seen  such  a 
picture  before.  4 * 

After  an  agreeable  jaunt  of  five  days  in  Massachusetts, 
we  returned  to  Albany.  If  a traveller  were  to  attempt  to 
describe  every  thing  he  saw,  or  even  a small  part  of  what 
he  generally  finds  time  to  record,  he  would  never  have  an 
end  of  writing.  The  difficulty  of  selecting  characteristic 
objects  to  describe  on  the  journey,  is  only  equalled  by  that 
of  selecting  topics  from  his  journal  for  publication.  In  one 
case,  he  is  overwhelmed  with  novelty  and  ignorance;  in  the 
other,  he  may  come  to  be  embarrassed  with  a superabun-  • 
dance  of  materials,  and  be  greatly  perplexed  in  selecting 
the  sketches  most  fit  to  be  engraved.  He  ought,  it  is  true, 
to  give  only  those  outlines,  which,  however  incompletely, 
shall  represent,  as  far  as  they  go,  with  as  much  correctness 
as  possible,  the  impressions  really  made  upon  his  own  mind 
by  what  was  seen  and  heard.  To  transfer  such  recorded 
feelings  to  others  long  afterwards,  is  always  a difficult  task; 
for  passages  will  sometimes  occur  in  a journal  which  the 
writer  can  scarcely  believe  were  set  down  by  his  own  hand, 
so  completely  have  the  ideas  which  gave  them  birth  fled 
away,  before  new7  sentiments  and  new  opinions.  His  study 
perhaps  ought  to  be,  to  conduct  those  who  do  him  the  fa^ 
vour  to  go  along  with  him,  as  nearly  as  he  can,  through  the 
same  course  of  varied  observation  and  fluctuating  reflection 
which  he  actually  followed  himself,  -however  devious  that 
path  may  have  been.  He  will  have  a sort  of  right  in  that  | 
ease  to  have  it  understood  by  his  readers,  that  however  lit- 
tle any  particular  circumstance  may  seem  to  them  at  first 
to  bear  on  the  subject  in  hand,  nothing  should  be  supposed 
Irrelevant  merely  on  that  account;  but,  more  or  less,  be 
considered  as  intended  to  act  in  its  way  like  a tributary 
stream,  or  feeder,  to  the  general  current  of  information, 
which  his  means  may  have  enabled  him  to  bring,  from  dis- 
tant sources,  to  the  great  ocean  of  public  knowledge.  i 

For  my  own  part,  I am  nowise  anxious  to  bring  others  to 
my  way  of  thinking;  but  I certainly  am  most  anxious  tc 


UNITED  STATES. 


61 


explain  distinctly  what  my  opinions  and  feelings  really  are; 
and  also  to  show  that  they  were  formed,  not  by  fostering 
prejudices,  or  by  predetermining  to  see  things  in  certain 
lights,  but  by  the  gradual  progress  of  a pretty  extensive 
observation,  varied  and  checked  in  a thousand  ways,  and 
under  circumstances  probably  as  favourable  as  a traveller 
could  expect  to  meet  with,  and  perhaps  better  than  most  na- 
tives could  hope  to  find,  even  if  their  own  country  were  the 
object  of  research. 

At  this  early  stage  of  the  journey,  I find  from  my  notes 
that  the  most  striking  circumstance  in  the  American  cha- 
racter, which  had  come  under  our  notice,  was  the  constant 
habit  of  praising  themselves,  their  institutions,  and  their 
country,  either  in  downright  terms,  or  by  some  would-be 
indirect  allusions,  which  were  still  more  tormenting.  I 
make  use  of  this  sharp-edged  word,  because  it  really  was 
exceedingly  teasing,  when  wre  were  quite  willing  and  ready 
to  praise  all  that  was  good,  and  also  to  see  every  thing, 
whether  good  or  bad,  in  the  fairest  light,  to  be  called  upon 
so  frequently  to  admit  the  justice  of  such  exaggerations. 
It  is  considered,  I believe,  all  over  the  world,  as  bad  man- 
ners for  a man  to  praise  himself  or  his  family.  Now,  to 
praise  one’s  country  appears,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  in  the 
next  degree  of  bad  taste. 

It  was  curious  to  see  with  what  vigilant  adroitness  the 
Americans  availed  themselves  of  every  little  circumstance 
to  give  effect  to  this  self-laudatory  practice.  I happened 
one  day  to  mention  to  a lady,  that  I had  been  amused  by 
observing  how  much  more  the  drivers  of  the  stages  ma- 
naged their  horses  by  word  of  mouth,  than  by  touch  of  the 
whip.  Upon  which  she  replied,  “ Oh  yes,  sir,  the  circum- 
stance you  relate  is  very  interesting,  as  it  shows  both  intel- 
ligence in  the  men,  and  sagacity  in  the  animals.’51  This  was 
pretty  well;  but  I merely  smiled  and  said  nothing,  being 
somewhat  tickled  by  this  amiable  interchange  of  human  wis- 
dom and  brute  sagacity.  The  lady’s  suspicions,  however, 
instantly  took  fire  on  seeing  the  expression  of  my 'counte- 
nance, and  she  answered  my  smile  by  saying,  “Nay,  sir, 
do  you  not  think  the  people  in  America,  upon  the  whole, 
particularly  intelligent?” 

Thus  it  ever  was,  in  great  things  as  well  as  in  small,  on 
grave  or  ludicrous  occasions;  they  were  eternally  on  the 
defensive,  and  gave  us  to  understand  that  they  suspected 
us  of  a design  to  find  fault,  at  times  when  nothing  on  earth 
was  farther  from  our  thoughts.  Whenever  any  thing  fa- 
vourable happened,  by  chance  or  otherwise,  to  be  stated 


62 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


“with  respect  to  England,  there  was  straightway  a fidget,  till 
the  said  circumstance  was  counterbalanced  by  something 
equally  good,  or  much  better,  in  America.-  To  such  an  ex- 
tent was  this  jealous  fever  carried,  that  I hardly  recollect 
above  half-a-dozen  occasions  during  the  whole  journey,  when 
England  was  mentioned,  that  the  slightest  interest  of  an 
agreeable  kind  was  manifested  on  the  part  of  the  audience; 
or  that  a brisk  cross  fire  was  not  instantly  opened  on  all 
hands,  to  depreciate  what  had  been  said;  or  which  was  still 
more  frequent,  to  build  up  something  finer,  or  taller,  or 
larger,  in  America  to  overmatch  it.  It  always  occurred  to 
me,  that  they  paid  themselves  and  their  institutions  the  very 
poorest  description  of  compliment  by  this  course  of  proceed- 
ing; and  it  would  be  quite  easy  to  show  why. 

During  our  stay  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  we  visit- 
ed the -very  curious  establishment  of  Shakers,  at  a place 
called  Lebanon.  But  after  drawing  up  an  account  of  these 
people  for  publication,  I have  decided,  upon  second  thoughts, 
to  say  nothing  about  them,  except  that  they  appear  to  be  a 
very  orderly,  industrious,  and  harmless  set  of  persons.  The 
circumstance  about  their  establishment  most  open  to  re- 
mark, is  the  conduct  of  their  religious  duties; — and  though 
3 have  witnessed  some  strange  forms  of  worship  in  former 
travels,  I cannot  say  that  I ever  beheld  any  thing,  even  in 
Hindoestan,  to  match  these  Shakers.  But  there  is  always 
something  so  objectionable  in  treating  any  religious  obser- 
vance with  levity,  however  ridiculous  it  may  appear  to  per- 
sons of  a different  persuasion,  that  I think  it  right  to  sacri- 
fice altogether  what  amusement  a description  of  the  pro- 
ceedings at  Lebanon  might  afford.  If  I had  any  idea,  in- 
deed, that  these  absurdities— -or  what  certainly  seemed  such 
to  our  eyes,  were  likely  to  spread  in  the  world,  this  delica- 
cy would  be  misplaced.  And  I make  this  reservation  be- 
cause in  the  farther  prosecution  of  the  journey,  I did  en- 
counter some  religious  anomalies  apparently  not  less  ab- 
surd, and  jjjr  more  likely  to  be  mischievous,  by  their  extent 
and  authority,  than  the  innocent  caperings  of  these  honest 
Shakers. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


On  the  1 4th  of  June  1827,  we  left  Albany  to  proceed  to 
ihe  western  country,  and  then  really  felt  that  we  had  fairly 


UNITED  STATES* 


63 


commenced  our  journey.  The  first  grand  stage  we  pro- 
posed to  make  was  Niagara;  but  on  the  way  to  that  celebrated 
spot,  we  expected  to  see  the  grand  Erie  canal,  the  newly 
settled  districts  lying  on  its  banks,  and  many  other  inte- 
resting objects  besides. 

As  there  is  no  posting  in  any  part  of  the  United  States? 
travellers  must  either  consent  to  go  in  the  public  stage,  or 
take  their  own  horses  and  carriage,  or  they  may  hire  what 
is  called  an  extra,  which  is  the  nearest  approach  to  posting 
in  that  country.  On  the  road  between  Albany  and  Niagara, 
where  there  is  much  travelling,  an  extra  exclusive,  as  it  is 
called,  may  be  hired  to  go  at  whatever  rate,  up  to  a certain 
limit,  the  traveller  pleases.  I made  an  arrangement  with 
the  proprietor  of  one  of  the  regular  lines  of  coaches,  who 
agreed  to  give  me  a stage  entirely  for  myself  and  family  all 
the  way  from  Albany  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  for  115  dok 
lars,  or  about  £24,  10s.,  a distance  of  324  miles.  It  was 
stipulated  that  we  might  go  the  whole  distance  in  three 
days;  or,  if  more  agreeable,  we  might  take  three  weeks. 
When  we  chose  to  make  any  deviation  from  the  direct  stage 
line,  another  carriage  was  to  be  hired,  of  which  I was  to 
defray  the  expense;  but  I was  left  at  liberty  to  resume  my 
extra  on  regaining  the  high  road.  In  no  other  part  of  Ame- 
rica are  there  any  such  facilities  for  travelling  as  we  found 
on  the  road  in  question. 

The  first  day’s  journey  took  us  to  Schenectady,  distant 
only  16  miles  in  a direct  line  from  Albany;  but  twice  a§ 
far  by  the  route  we  followed,  in  order  to  see  the  junction 
of  the  Erie  canal,  with  the  branch  which  connects  it  with 
lake  Champlain.  Near  the  village  called  Juncta,  we  had 
an  opportunity  of  examining  a string  of  nine  locks,  by 
which  the  canal  is  raised  to  the  level  of  the  country  lying 
to  the  westward  of  Albany.  I have  seldom  known  a more 
busy  scene.  Crowds  of  boats  laden  with  flour,  grain,  and 
other  agricultural  produce,  were  met  by  others  as  deeply 
laden  with  goods  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  ready  to  be 
distributed  over  the  populous  regions  of  the  west. 

On  the  way  we  looked  in  at  one  of  the  United  States  ar- 
senals, at  a place  called  Watervliet,  where  we  saw  about 
fifty  thousand  stand  of  arms  in  good  order.  If  need  were, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  bristling  mass  of  dormant 
strength  would  soon  be  called  into  action  for  the  purposes 
of  national  defence. 

We  now  crossed  the  river  Hudson,  “On  the  opposite 
side  of  which,5’  says  the  road-book  called  the  Northern 
Traveller,  “ stands  Troy,  a very  handsome  town,  with  fine 


64 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


hills  in  the  rear,  the  most  prominent  of  which  has  received 
the  name  of  Mount  Ida,  to  correspond  with  the  classic  ap- 
pellation of  the  place.  There  is  here  a good  horse  ferry, 
&c. ’’ — What  was  more  to  our  purpose,  we  found  a school 
recently  established  by  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  pub- 
lic-spirited men  in  the  country,  the  principle  of  which  dif- 
fers from  that  of  all  others  with  which  I am  acquainted. 
The  object  is  to  instruct  young  men  as  schoolmasters,  or 
rather  as  teachers  of  different  mechanical  arts  and  sciences. 
The  munificent  patron  of  this  institution,  after  having  thus 
assisted  the  scholars,  supplies  them,  when  duly  qualified, 
with  money  and  with  proper  recommendations,  and  sends 
them  over  the  country  to  get  employment.  The  arrange- 
ments seemed  to  be  admirable;  and  the  principle,  though 
rather  quaint  and  unusual,  was,  I thought,  so  good,  that  I 
learnt  with  regret,  long  afterwards,  from  the  founder  him- 
self, that  the  example  he  had  set  had  not  been  followed  by 
any  one  else,  and  consequently,  the  good  he  had  hoped  to 
do  was  comparatively  circumscribed. 

In  one  of  the  New  England  states  I heard  of  an  institu- 
tion, analogous  in  its  purpose,  for  educating  schoolmasters. 

All  this  sight-seeing,  including  the  proper  allowance  of 
rapture  at  the  Cahoes  Falls,  on  the  Mohawk,  not  only  fa- 
tigued us,  but  made  us  so  exceedingly  hungry,  that  we  en- 
treated the  driver  to  stop  if  he  came  near  any  place  at 
which  we  had  a chance  of  getting  something  to  eat.  He 
smiled,  and  shook  his  head  very  knowingly,  but  made  no  - 
reply,  only  giving  his  horses  a slight  touch  with  the  whip,  j 
and  calling  out  to  them  “ Go  alang!”  Away  we  struggled  | 
through  mountains  of  sand,  dashing  into  ruts  a cubit  in 
depth,  and  casting  up  clouds  of  dust  which  enveloped  the  I 
whole  party.  At  length,  when  we  were  well-nigh  choked,  ] 
our  eyes  caught  a glimpse  of  a sign -post,  the  board  on  which  ’ 
was  swinging  and  creaking  mournfully  in  the  wind,  with  j 
the  cheerful  word  Inn  staring  us  in  the  face  in  goodly  cha-  1 
racters.  Our  thoughts  were  instantly  carried  back  to  the  j 
regions  of  veal  cutlets  and  red  cabbage  pickles  in  merry  I 
England; — but  alas!  we  were  far  too  much  in  earnest  to  | 
have  the  hungry  edge  of  our  appetites  cloyed  by  any  such  * 
bare  imaginations  of  a feast. 

At  length,  in  about  half  an  hour,  we  sat  down  to  some  j 
bread  and  butter,  a miserable  bit  of  hung  beef,  which  had  I 
been  kept  much  too  long,  and  a plate  of  eggs,— altogether  i 
a very  poor  dinner.  We  had  not  expected  much,  it  is  true,  j 
in  such  an  unfrequented  part  of  the  road,  and  therefore, 
instead  of  grumbling,  made  a good  laugh  of  the  matter. 


UNITED  STATES. 


85 


Our  scraggy  meal  over,  it  was  time  to  start  again;  but  on 
looking  out  of  the  window  to  speak  to  the  driver,  I ob- 
served he  was  no  longer  with  his  horses,  and  therefore 
stepped  into  the  kitchen  to  look  for  him.  Here  my, gentle- 
man was  seated  at  table,  dining  very  comfortably  on  a good, 
honest  joint  of  roast  lamb,  large  enough  to  have  served  all 
the  party,  the  said  driver  inclusive! 

This  was  a problem  in  hospitality  which  I could  by  no 
means  solve,  and  therefore  took  occasion  afterwards  to  ask 
the  driver  how  it  happened  that  he  had  screwed  out  of  the 
people  on  the  hill  so  much  better  fare  than  we  had  been 
able  to  obtain  with  all  our  entreaties? 

“Why,  sir,”  said  the  fellow,  with  a half  sort  of  grin, 
u they  were  some  bashful  about  putting  such  a shabby  bit 
of  meat  on  table  to  you.  It  was  what  they  had  been 
dining  off  themselves,  and  they  did  not  think  it  decent  to 
put  broken  victuals  down  to  strangers.  ” Here  was  eti- 
quette with  a vengeance!  66  They  fancied,  I suppose,”  add- 
ed the  driver,  laughing,  “ that  the  credit  of  their  house 
would  be  hurt  by  serving  you  so.” 

“And  X suppose,”  cried  I,  a little  nettled,  6S  that  your 
friends  fancied  the  credit  of  their  house  would  be  hurt  by 
making  a moderate  charge  in  the  bill?” 

We  got  to  Schenectady  about  sunset,  and  were  greatly 
interested  by  the  bustle  of  stage  coaches  arriving  and  de- 
parting, and  by  the  numerous  canal  boats  dashing  up  to  the 
wharf  in  the  very  centre  of  the  town;  and  immediately  set- 
ting off  again,  all  crowded  with  passengers;  the  whole 
wearing  an  air  of  business  and  despatch  highly  characte- 
ristic. 

Next  day,  after  visiting  Union  College,  we  left  Schenec- 
tady in  the  canal  packet,  and  were  towed  along  at  the  rate 
of  three  miles  and  a half  per  hour  upon  the  average,  until 
10  o’clock  at  night,  when  we  reached  a village  with  a long 
Indian  name,  Caughnawaga,  the  pronunciation  of  which  I 
shall  not  attempt  to  teach,  any  more  than  that  of  the  place 
we  had  left,  Schenectady,  of  which,  by  the  by,  we  made 
sad  work  ourselves. 

The  day,  most  fortunately  for  us,  was  cloudy,  the  air  ex- 
tremely pleasant,  and  the  dust  being  well  washed  off  the 
trees  by  two  heavy  thunder-showers  of  the  day  before,  eve- 
ry thing  looked  rich  and  green.  The  canal  for  the  distance 
of  26  miles,  which  we  travelled  upon  it,  winds  along  the 
base  of  a low  and  prettily  wooded  bank  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Mohawk  river.  Our  perpendicular  height  above  the 
stream  may  have  been  30  or  40  feet,  by  which  elevation  we 
Vol.  i.  7 


66 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


commanded  a range  of  prospect,  both  up  and  down,  of 
great  extent  and  variety.  The  Mohawk  is  studded  with 
many  islands,  and  long  projecting,  flat,  wooded  points,  ly- 
ing in  the  tortuous  reaches  or  bendings  of  the  stream.  The 
vigour  of  the  spring  tints  had  not  yet  yielded  to  the  wither- 
ing effects  of  the  flerce  summer.  Be  the  cause  what  it  may, 
I cannot  conceive  a more  beautiful  combination  of  verdure: 
and  as  the  windings  of  the  canal  brought  us  in  sight  of 
fresh  vistas,  new  cultivation,  new  villages,  new  bridges, 
new  aqueducts,  rose  at  every  moment,  mingled  up  with 
scattered  dwellings,  mills,  churches,  all  span  new.  The 
scene  looked  really  one  of  enchantment.  We  sat  during 
most  of  the  day  on  deck,  with  our  little  girl  running  about 
at  the  end  of  a shawl,  by  which  she  was  tethered,  for  bet- 
ter security  against  tumbling  overboard. 

Travellers,  I think,  are  generally  more  apt  to  look  back 
with  interest  to  such  a period,  than  to  admit  at  the  time 
that  they  were  pleased.  But  we  were  fully  under  the 
avowed  consciousness  of  being  very  happy,  with  a bound- 
less field  of  novel  interest  stretching  far  before  us. 

Nothing  on  earth,  however,  it  should  seem,  is  without 
some  drawback,  and  our  daj  dreams  accordingly  were  much 
disturbed  by  the  necessity  of  stepping  hastily  down  off  the 
deck,  as  often  as  we  had  to  pass  under  one  of  the  innume- 
rable little  bridges,  built  across  the  canal.  Their  height 
was  barely  sufficient  for  the  boat  to  shoot  through,  and  at 
first,  when  called  to  by  the  steersmen,  ‘‘Bridge! — Passen- 
gers!-—mind  the  low  bridge!”  it  was, rather  amusing  to  hop 
down  and  then  to  hop  up  again:  but  by  and  by,  this  skip- 
ping about  became  very  tiresome,  and  marred  the  tranquilli- 
ty of'the  day  very  much. 

There  are  two  cabins  in  these  canal  barges^  one  of  which 
is  for  the  ladies,  with  eight  beds,  and  really  not  very  un- 
comfortable-looking. In  the  gentlemen’s  cabin  there  wras 
no  appearance  of  beds,  only  a line  of  lockers  along  each  side. 
After  supper,  however,  about  8 o’clock,  I was  surprised  to 
see  these  lockers  folded  out  into  a range  of  beds.  But  what 
struck  me  as  being  extremely  ingenious,  was  a second  or 
higher  tier  of  sleeping  births,  formed  by  a number  of  broad 
shelves, 'as  it  werej  little  frames  with  laced  sacking  bottoms, 
hinged  to  the  sides  of  the  cabin  midway  between  the  roof 
or  upper  deck  and  the  lower  beds. 

These  airy  resting  places,  or  nests,  were  held  in  their 
horizontal  position  at  night  by  two  supporting  cords  fas- 
tened to  the  roof  of  the  cabin,  and,  in  the  day  time,  were 
allowed  to  hang  down  against  the  vessel’s  side  like  the  leaf 


UNITED  STATES. 


67 


of  a table.  On  coming  to  the  locks  in  the  canal,  the  pas- 
sengers generally  leaped  out,  and  got  a run  of  half  a mile, 
or  a mile  a-head. 

By  the  time  we  reached  Caughnawaga,  we  were  so  com- 
pletely tired,  that  we  resolved,  over  night,  not  to  start  early, 
though  it  was  desirable  to  avoid  the  heat,  and  also  gain 
time.  Accordingly,  it  was  past  8 o’clock,  which  was  very 
late,  before  we  got  fairly  off  in  our  extra  stage;  as  we  had 
found  one  day  of  the  canal  quite  enough.  The  landlady 
attended  the  breakfast  table  herself,  and  when  nothing  re- 
quired her  to  be  moving  about,  she  sat  down  at  the  side  of 
the  room.  At  a place  called  the  Little  Falls,  where  we 
stopped  to  dine,  a pretty  young  woman,  apparently  the 
daughter  of  the  master  of  the  house,  also  served  us  at  din- 
ner. When  her  immediate  attendance  was  not  required, 
she  sat  down  in  the  window  with  her  work,  exactly  as  if 
she  had  been  one  of  the  party.  There  was  nothing,  how- 
ever, in  the  least  degree  forward  or  impudent  in  this;  on 
the  contrary,  it  was  done  quietly  and  respectfully,  though 
with  perfect  ease,  and  without  the  least  consciousness  of 
its  being  contrary  to  European  manners.  In  the  great  towns 
ef  America,  indeed,  such  freedoms  are  not  used.  It  is  there 
possible  to  hire  servants—bad  ones,  it  is  true— but  still  such 
as  never  dream  of  mixing  in  company.  At  Schenectady, 
which  is  not  far  from  the  town  of  Albany,  the  attendants 
at  the  public  fable  were  of  a very  mixed,  description.  The 
chief  waiter  was  an  elderly,  sallow  man,  with  wild,  flowing 
hair,  reaching  to  his  shoulders.  His  first  assistant  was  a 
sharp-faced,  well-tanned,  old  woman  in  spectacles;  next 
came  a black  boy;  then  a black  girl;  and  lastly,  two  young 
women,  between  black  and  white.  These  variegated  wait- 
ers served  forty  people;  but  it  was  very  rarely  indeed, 
during  our  subsequent  travels,  that  we  were  half  so  well  at- 
tended. 

Every  person  in  the  house  sits  down  at  these  public  ta- 
bles; though  the  higher  places,  or  those  near  the  landlord, 
who  presides,  are  always  given  up  to  strangers,  or  to  per- 
sons of  the  most  consequence  present;  for,  of  course,  there 
must  be  some  distinctions,  let  them  say  what  they  will 
about  universal  equality.  At  Schenectady  when  we  went 
to  tea,  as  the  six  o’clock  meal  is  termed,  we  found  the 
party  seated.  The  landlord  called  to  us  to  come  to  the 
top  of  the  table;  but  I suppose  we  had  not  distinctly  un- 
derstood him,  and  therefore  took  our  places  at  the  other 
end.  As  all  the  faces  were  equally  new  to  us,  and  the 
dresses  pretty  much  alike,  we  knew  nothing  of  the  distinc- 


68 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


live  ranks  of  the  company.  But  next  morning  I recog- 
nised in  a gentleman  I had  sat  next  at  tea,  the  identical 
person  who  had  twice  served  me  over  night  with  a glass  of 
iced-water  at  the  bar. 

By  the  way,  of  ice;  this  great  luxury,  we  found  every 
where  in  profusion,  even  in  the  cottages;  and  an  ice-pit 
near  the  house  appears  to  be  a matter  of  course.  The  mis- 
chief is,  that  one  is  tempted  in  consequence  to  drink  too 
much  water,  and  this,  to  a stranger  entering  a limestone 
country,  is  not  a harmless  indulgence  by  any  means. 

On  the  18th  of  June  we  reached  Utica,  a town  recently 
built,  and  standing  near  the  canal.  From  thence  we  made 
an  excursion  to  Trenton  Falls,  which  are  well  worth  see- 
ing; but  as  I am  not  so  sure  of  their  being  equally  accepta- 
ble in  description,  I shall  pass  them  by;  though  I should 
by  no  means  recommend  travellers  to  follow  such  an  ex- 
ample. 

All  the  world  over,  I suspect  the  great  mass  of  people 
care  mighty  little  about  scenery,  and  visit  such  places 
merely  for  the  sake  of  saying  they  have  been  there.  I own, 
however,  that  1 was  at  first  rather  taken  in  with  respect  to 
this  matter  in  America;  and  really  fancied,  from  the  flaming 
descriptions  we  had  given  us  of  the  wonders  and  beauties 
of  the  country,  that  the  persons  describing  it  were  more 
than  usually  sensible  to  its  charms;  but  we  now  began  to 
suspect,  most  grievously,  that  our  friends,  of  whom  we 
were  striving  with  all  our  might  to  think  wmll  in  every 
point,  were,  like  most  folks  elsewhere,  nearly  as  insensible 
to  the  beauties  of  nature,  as  we  had  reason  to  fear,  from 
their  public  exhibitions,  they  were  to  the  graces  of  art. 

On  board  the  steam-boats  on  the  superb  Hudson,  and  in 
the  canal-boat  on  the  pretty  Mohawk,  the  scenery  was 
either  unheeded,  or  when  noticed  at  all,  was  looked  at  by 
our  companions  with  indifference.  There  was,  I grant, 
now  and  then,  a great  deal  of  talk  about  such  things;  and 
we  had  seen  in  their  road-books  and  other  writings  much 
about  the  extraordinary  wonders,  and  the  natural  beauties 
of  their  country;  but  as  yet,  generally  speaking,  we  had 
met  a perfect  insensibility  to  either,  on  the  part  of  the  in- 
habitants. Neither  is  this  to  be  explained  by  supposing 
them  to  have  become  too  well  acquainted  with  the  objects 
in  question;  for  I think  it  happens  generally,  that  when 
there  is  a real,  and  not  an  imaginary,  perception  of  the 
beauties  of  nature,  the  pleasure  arising  from  their  contem- 
plation goes  on  increasing;  and  habit,  so  far  from  render- 
ing such  scenes  too  familiar  to  be  interesting,  only  contri- 


UNITED  STATES. 


69 


butes  to  unfold  new  points  for  admiration.  Since,  howe- 
ver, it  is  impossible  to  maintain  artificial  rapture  for  more 
than  a few  minutes,  it  is  easier  to  say  nothing  at  all;  and 
thus  we  have  an  explanation  of  the  anomaly  alluded  to. 

A large  party  of  tourists  whom  we  encountered  at  Tren- 
ton Falls,  in  returning  from  a walk;  which  in  any  other 
country  would,  I am  sure,  have  furnished  conversation  for 
hours  afterwards,  and  the  gossip  arising  out  of  which  would 
have  been  thought  by  far  the  best  part  of  the  fun,  said  not 
one  word  about  the  day9s  excursion,  but  sat  down  to  din- 
ner  as  sad  and  silent  as  if  we  had  lost  one  of  our  coni- 
panions  over  the  cliff* — a fatal  accident,  by  the  way,  which 
did  occur  to  another  party  only  a few  days  afterwards. 
The  sole  occupation  that  elicited  any  thing  like  animation, 
during  the  whole  ramble,  was  reading  in  the  album — which, 
like  all  albums,  was  filled  with  the  flattest  trash  that  hu- 
man dulness,  inspired  by  compulsion,  can  produce.  The 
said  album  was  placed  in  a sort  of  shed,  near  the  prettiest 
part  of  the  falls,  in  what  is  denominated  a bar,  Anglice,  a 
tap,  or  grog-shop.  These  odious  places,  truth  bids  me  say, 
stared  us  in  the  face  every  where;  and  that  no  one  should 
mistake,  the  letters  B,  A,  R,  were  written  up  most  con- 
spicuously. On  board  steam-boats,  there  were  generally 
two,  one  upon  deck,  and  one  below.  In  the  Museum,  at 
Albany,  we  happened  to  take  the  wrong  turn,  and  by  going 
to  the  right  hand  instead  of  the  left,  found  ourselves  at  the 
said  eternal  bar.  At  the  theatres  it  is  the  same;  at  the  Cau- 
terskill  Falls  we  saw  two;  one  on  each  side  of  the  cataract, 
to  the  utter  ruin  of  the  unhappy  sublime  and  beautiful.  In 
all  countries  such  things  are,  undoubtedly,  to  be  found,  and 
too  often,  I grant,  in  similar  places;  and  I should  most  cer- 
tainly not  have  made  these  remarks,  but  for  their  unusual 
profusion  in  America,  and  the  important  part  which  ardent 
spirits  appear  to  act  in  almost  every  scene. 

On  the  19th  of  June  we  reached  the  village  of  Syracuse, 
through  the  very  centre  of  which  thg  Erie  Canal  passes. 
During  the  drive  we  had  opportunities  of  seeing  the  land 
in  various  stages  of  its  progress,  from  the  dense,  black, 
tangled,  native  forest — up  to  the  highest  stages  of  cultiva- 
tion, with  wheat  and  barley  waving  over  it:  or  from  that 
melancholy  and  very  hopeless-looking  state  of  things,  when 
the  trees  are  laid  prostrate  upon  the  earth,  one  upon  top  of 
another,  and  a miserable  log-hut  is  the  only  symptom  of 
man’s  residence, — -to  such  gay  and  thriving  places  as  Sy- 
racuse; with  fine  broad  streets,  large  and  commodious  houses, 
gay  shops,  and  stage-coaches,  wagons,  and  gigs  flying  past, 

7* 


70 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


all  in  a bustle.  In  the  centre  of  the  village,  we  could  see 
from  our  windows  the  canal  thickly  covered  with  freight 
boats  and  packets,  glancing  silently  past,  and  shooting  like 
arrows  through  the  bridges,  some  of  which  were  of  stone, 
and  some  of  painted  wood.  The  canal  at  this  place  has, 
been  made  of  double  its  ordinary  width,  and  being  bent 
into  an  agreeable  degree  of  curvature,  to  suit  the  turn  of 
the  streets,  the  formality  is  removed,  as  well  as  the  ditch- 
like appearance  which  generally  belongs  to  canals.  The 
water,  also,  is  made  to  rise  almost  level  with  the  towing 
path,  which  improves  the  effect.  1 was  amused  by  seeing, 
amongst  the  throng  of  loaded  boats,  a gaily-painted  vessel 
lying  in  state,  with  the  words  Cleopatra’s  Barge  painted 
in  large  characters  on  her  broadside. 

In  the  course  of  50  miles’  travelling,  we  came  repeated- 
ly in  sight  of  almost  every  successive  period  of  agricultural 
advancement  through  which  America  has  run,  or  is  actual- 
ly running.  At  one  place  we  found  ourselves  amongst  the 
Oneida  tribe  of  Indians,  living  on  a strip  of  land  called  a 
reservation,  from  being  appropriated  exclusively  to  these 
poor  remains  of  the  former  absolute  masters  of  the  territo- 
ry-—the  native  burghers  of  the  forest!  They  were  dressed 
in  blankets,  with  leggings  of  skin  laced  not  very  tightly, 
and  reaching  to  the  hide  mocasins  on  their  feet.  Their 
painted  faces,  and  lank,  black,  oily  hair,  made  them  look 
as  like  savages  as  any  lion-hunting  travellers  could  have 
desired. 

In  merely  passing  along  the  road,  it  was  of  course  diffi- 
cult to  form  any  conjecture  as  to  how  much  of  the  country 
was  cleared;  especially  as  new  settlers  naturally  cling  to 
canals,  roads,  and  lakes,  and  it  was  such  settlers  only  that 
we  saw.  Sometimes  our  track  lay  through  a thick  forest 
for  a mile  or  two;  though,  generally  speaking,  the  country 
for  some  distance  on  both  sides  of  the  road  was  thickly 
strewed  with  houses.  Every  now  and  then  we  came  to  vil- 
lages, consisting  of  several  hundred  houses;  and  in  the  mid- 
dle I observed  there  were  always  several  churches  sur- 
mounted by  spires,  painted  with  some  showy  colour,  and 
giving  ascertain  degree  of  liveliness  or  finish  to  scenes  in 
other  respects  rude  enough.  In  general,  however,  it  must 
be  owned,  there  prevailed  a most  uncomfortable  appearance 
of  bleakness  or  rawness,  and  a total  absence  of  picturesque 
beauty  in  these  villages;  whose  dreary  aspect  was  much 
heightened  by  the  black  sort  of  gigantic  wall  formed  of  the 
abrupt  edge  of  the  forest,  choked  up  with  underwood,  now 
for  the  first  time  exposed  to  the  light  of  the  sun. 


UNITED  STATES. 


71 


The  cleared  spaces,  however,  as  they  are  called,  looked 
to  our  eyes  not  less  desolate,  being  studded  over  with  innu- 
merable great  black  stumps;  or,  which  was  more  deplorable 
still,  with  tall  scorched,  branchless  stems  of  trees,  which 
had  undergone  the  barbarous  operation  known  by  the  name 
of  girdling.  An  American  settler  can  hardly  conceive  the 
horror  with  which  a foreigner  beholds  such  numbers  of  mag- 
nificent trees  standing  round  him  with  their  throats  cut,  the 
very  Banquos  of  the  murdered  forest!  The  process  of  gird- 
ling is  this:  a circular  cut  or  ring,  two  or  three  inches  deep, 
is  made  with  an  axe  quite  round  the  tree  at  about  five  feet 
from  the  ground.  This,  of  course,  puts  an  end  to  vegeta- 
ble life;  and  the  destruction  of  the  tree  being  accelerated 
by  the  action  of  fire,  these  wretched  trunks  in  a year  or 
two  present  the  most  miserable  objects  of  decrepitude  that 
can  be  conceived.  The  purpose,  however,  of  the  farmer  is 
gained,  and  that  is  all  he  can  be  expected  to  look  to.  His 
corn  crop  is  no  longer  overshadowed  by  the  leaves  of  these 
unhappy  trees,  which  in  process  of  time,  are  cut  down  and 
split  into  railings,  or  sawed  into  billets  of  firewood, — and 
their  misery  is  at  an  end. 

Even  in  the  cultivated  fields,  the  tops  of  the  stumps  were 
seen  poking  their  black  snouts  above  the  young  grain,  like 
a shoal  of  seals.  Not  a single  hedge  or  wall  was  to  be  seen 
in  those  places,  all  the  enclosures  being  made  of  split  logs, 
built  one  upon  the  top  of  another  in  a zig-zag  fashion,  like 
what  the  ladies  call  a Vandyke  border.  These  are  named 
snake  fences,  and  are  certainly  the  most  ungraceful-looking 
things  I ever  saw. 

Most  of  the  houses  are  built  of  rough  unbarked  logs, 
nicked  at  the  ends  so  as  to  fit  closely  and  firmly;  and  roofed 
with  planks.  The  better  sort  of  dwellings,  however,  are 
made  of  squared  timbers  framed  together  neatly  enough, 
and  boarded  over,  at  the  sides  and  ends;  and  then  roofed 
with  shingles,  which  are  a sort  of  oblong  wooden  slates. 
The  "houses  are  generally  left  unpainted,  and  being  scatter- 
ed about  without  order,  look  more  like  a collection  of  great 
packing  boxes,  than  the  human  residences  which  the  eye  is 
accustomed  to  see  in  old  countries.  In  the  more  cleared 
and  longer  settled  parts  of  the  country,  we  saw  many  de- 
tached houses,  which  might  almost  be  called  villas,  very 
neatly  got  up,  with  rows  of  wooden  colums  in  front,  shaded 
by  trees  and  tall  shrubs  running  round  and  across  the  gar- 
den, which  was  prettily  fenced  in,  and  embellished  with  a 
profusion  of  dowers. 

Sometimes  a whole  village,  such  as  that  of  Whitesbo- 


72 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


rough,  was  composed  entirely  of  these  detached  villas;  and 
as  most  of  the  houses  were  half  hid  in  the  thick  foliage  of 
the  elm-trees  round  them,  they  looked  cool  and  comfortable 
when  compared  with  the  new  and  half-burnt,  and  in  many 
places  burning  country,  only  a few  miles  off. 

The  village  of  Utica  stands  a step  higher  in  this  progres- 
sive scale  of  civilization;  for  it  has  several  church  spires 
rising  over  it,  and  at  no  great  distance  an  institution,  called 
Hamilton  College,  intended,  I was  told,  for  the  higher 
branches  of  science.  We  also  visited  Syracuse,  a village 
with  extensive  salt-works  close  to  it;  and  had  numerous  op- 
portunities of  examining  the  Erie  canal,  and  the  great  high- 
road to  Buffalo; — so  that  what  with  towns  and  cities,  In- 
dians, forests,  cleared  and  cultivated  lands,  girdled  trees, 
log-houses,  painted  churches,  villas,  canals,  and  manufacto- 
ries, and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  human  beings,  starting 
into  life,  all  within  the  ken  of  one  day’s  rapid  journey, 
there  was  plenty  of  stuff  for  the  imagination  to  work  upon. 

It  has  been  the  fashion  of  travellers  in  America,  I am 
told— for  I have  read  no  travels  in  that  country— to  ridi- 
cule the  practice  of  giving  to  unknown  and  inconsiderable 
villages,  the  names  of  places  long  hallowed  by  classical  re-  : 
collections.  I was  disposed,  however,  at  one  time  to  think, 
that  there  was  nothing  absurd  in  the  matter.  I did  not 
deny  that,  on  first  looking  at  the  map,  and  more  particular- 
ly on  hearing  stage-drivers  and  stage-passengers,  talking  of  | 
Troy,  Ithaca,  and  Rome,  and  still  more  when  I heard  them 
speaking  of  the  towns  of  Cicero,  Homer,  or  Manlius,  an 
involuntary  smile  found  its  way  to  the  lips,  followed  of- 
ten by  a good  hearty  laugh.  The  oddity  and  incongruity 
of  the  thing  were  much  heightened  by  the  admixture  of  such 
modern  appellations  as  Truxton,  Sullivan,  and  Tompkins, 
jumbled  up  with  the  Indian  names  of  Onondaga,  Oneida, 
and  Chitteningo. 

A little  longer  personal  acquaintance  with  the  subject, 
however,  led  me  to  a different  conclusion.  All  those  un- 
courteous,  and  at  first  irrepressible,  feelings  of  ridicule, 
were,  I hoped,  quite  eradicated;  and  I tried  to  fancy  that 
there  was  something  very  interesting,  almost  amiable,  in  -j 
any  circumstances,  no  matter  how  trivial,  which  contributed 
to  show,  even  indirectly,  that  these  descendants  of  ours 
were  still  willing  to  keep  up  the  old  and  generous  recollec- 
tions of  their  youth;  and  although  they  had  broken  the 
cords  of  national  union,  that  they  were  still  disposed  to 
bind  themselves  to  us,  by  the  ties  of  classical  sentiment  at 
least.  For  these  reasons,  then,  I was  inclined  to  approve, 


UNITED  STATES. 


73 


in  theory,  of  the  taste  which  had  appropriated  the  ancient 
names  alluded  to.  I had  also  a sort  of  hope,  that  the  mere 
use  of  the  words  would  insensibly  blend  with  their  present 
occupations,  and  so  keep  alive  some  traces  of  the  old  spi- 
rit, described  to  me  as  fast  melting  away. 

By  the  same  train  of  friendly  reasoning,  I was  led  to 
imagine  it  possible,  that  the  adoption  of  such  names  as  Au- 
burn,—“loveliest  village  of  the  plain,” — -Port  Byron,  and 
the  innumerable  Londons,  Dublins,  Edinburghs,  and  so  on, 
were  indicative  of  a latent  or  lingering  kindliness  towards 
the  old  country.  The  notion,  that  it  was  degrading  to  the 
venerable  Roman  names  to  fix  them  upon  these  mushroom 
towns  in  the  wilderness,  I combated,  1 flattered  myself, 
somewhat  adroitly,  on  the  principle  that  so  far  from  the  me- 
mory of  Ithaca  or  Syracuse,  or  any  such  place,  being  de- 
graded by  the  appropriation,  the  honour  rather  lay  with  the 
ancients,  who,  it  is  the  fashion  to  take  for  granted,  enjoyed 
a less  amount  of  freedom  and  intelligence  than  their  mo- 
dern namesakes. 

“Let  us,”  I said  one  day,  to  a friend  who  was  impugn- 
ing these  doctrines,  “let  us  take  Syracuse  for  example, 
which  in  the  year  1820,  consisted  of  one  house,  one  mill, 
and  one  tavern:  now,  in  1827,  it  holds  fifteen  hundred  in- 
habitants, has  two  large  churches,  innumerable  wealthy 
shops  filled  with  goods,  brought  there  by  water-carriage 
from  every  corner  of  the  globes  two  large  and  splendid  ho- 
tels: many  dozens  of  grocery  stores  or  whiskey-shops;  se» 
veral  busy  printing  presses,  from  one  of  which  issues  a 
weekly  newspaper;  a daily  post  from  the  east,  the  south, 
and  the  west;  has  a broad  canal  running  through  its  bo- 
som;— in  short,  it  is  a great  and  free  city.  Where  is 
this  to  be  matched,”  I exclaimed,  “ in  ancient  Italy  or 
^Greece?” 

It  grieves  me  much,  however,  to  have  the  ungracious  task 
forced  upon  me  of  entirely  demolishing  my  own  plausible 
handiwork.  But  truth  renders  it  necessary  to  declare,  that 
after  a long  acquaintance  with  all  these  matters,  I disco- 
vered that  I was  all  in  the  wrong,  and  that  there  was  not 
a word  of  sense  in  what  I had  uttered  with  so  much  studied 
candour.  What  is  the  most  provoking  proof  that  this  fine 
doctrine  of  profitable  associations  was  practically  absurd,  is 
the  fact  that  even  I myself,  though  comparatively  so  little 
acquainted  with  the  classical-sounding  places  in  question, 
have,  alas!  seen  and  heard  enough  of  them  to  have  nearly 
all  my  classical  recollections  swept  away  by  the  contact. 
Now,  therefore,  whenever  I meet  with  the  name  of  a Re- 


74 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


man  city,  or  an  author,  or  a general,  instead  of  having  my 
thoughts  carried  back,  as  heretofore,  to  the  regions  of  anti- 
quity, I am  transported  forthwith,  in  imagination,  to  the 
post-road  on  my  way  to  Lake  Erie,  and  my  joints  and  bones . 
turn  sore  at  the  bare  recollection  of  joltings,  and  other 
nameless  vulgar  annoyances  by  day  and  by  night,  which,  I 
much  fear,  will  outlive  all  the  little  classical  knowledge  of 
my  juvenile  days. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  we  left  Syracuse  after  a pleasant 
excursion  to  the  salt-works  at  Salinain  that  neighbourhood; 
and  reached  Auburn  at  nine  o’clock  at  night,  having  passed 
through  the  villages  of  Elbridge  and  Brutus.  Owing  to  the 
numerous  and  teasing  stops,  we  did  not  average  more  than 
live  miles  an  hour,  though  we  often  went  Over  the  ground 
at  a greater  rate. 

The  country  during  this  day’s  journey,  though  not  quite 
so  recently  settled  as  some  we  had  seen  before,  presented 
nearly  the  same  mixture  of  wide  oceans  of  impervious  look- 
ing forests,  dotted  over,  here  and  there,  with  patches  of 
cleared  land  under  every  stage  of  the  agricultural  process. 
Some  of  the  fields  were  sown  with  wheat,  above  which 
could  be  seen  numerous  ugly  stumps  of  old  trees;  others 
allowed  to  lie  in  grass,  guarded,  as  it  were,  by  a set  of  gi- 
gantic black  monsters,  the  girdled,  scorched,  and  withered 
remnants  of  the  ancient  woods.  Many  farms  were  still  co- 
vered with  a most  inextricable  and  confused  mass  of  pros- 
trate trunks,  branches  of  trees,  piles  of  split  logs,  and  of 
squared  timbers,  planks,  shingles,  great  stacks  of  fuel;  and 
often,  in  the  midst  of  all  this,  could  be  detected,  a half 
smothered  log  hut  without  windows  or  furniture,  but  well 
stocked  with  people.  At  other  places  we  came  upon  ploughs, 
always  drawn  by  oxen,  making  their  sturdy  way  amongst 
the  stumps,  like  a ship  navigating  through  coral  reefs,  a 
difficult  and  tiresome  operation.  Often,  too,  without  much 
warning,  we  came  in  sight  of  busy  villages,  ornamented 
with  tall  white  spires,  topping  above  towers  in  which  the 
taste  of  the  villagers  had  placed  green  Venetian  blinds;  and 
at  the  summit  of  all,  handsome  gilt  weather-cocks,  glittering 
and  crowing,  as  it  seemed,  in  triumph  over  the  poor  forest. 

“ Driver  P’  I called  out  upon  one  occasion,  “ what  is  the 
name  of  this  village ?’’ 

‘‘Camillas,  sir.” 

“ And  what  is  that  great  building?” 

“That  is  the  seminary — the  polytecnic.” 

“ And  that  great  stone  house?” 

“ Oh,  that  is  the  wool -factory.” 


UNITED  STATES, 


75 


In  short,  an  Englishman  might  fancy  himself  in  the  vale 
of  Stroud.  But,  mark  the  difference:*— -at  the  next  crack 
of  the  whip-— hocus  pocus !— ail  is  changed.  He  looks  out 
of  the  window-— rubs  his  eyes,  and  discovers  that  he  is  again 
in  the  depths  of  the  wood  at  the  other  extremity  of  civi- 
lized society,  with  the  world  just  beginning  to  bud,  in  the 
shape  of  a smoky  log-hut,  ten  feet  by  twelve,  filled  with 
dirty -faced  children,  squatted  round  a hardy  looking,  fe- 
male, cooking  victuals  for  a tired  woodsman  seated  at  his 
door,  reading  with  suitable  glee  in  the  Democratical  Jour- 
nal of  New  York,  an  account  of  Mr.  Canning’s  campaign 
against  the  Ultra  Tories  of  the  old  country.  , 

After  inspecting  Very  carefully  the  penitentiary  at  Au- 
burn, the  parent  experiment  of  that  system  which  has  done 
America  so  much  honours  we  pursued  our  course  to  the  west- 
ward, and  came,  on  the  21st  of  June,  to  Cayuga  lake,  one  of 
those  numerous  inland  seas  with  which  the  northern  part  of 
the  great  State  of  New  York  abounds.  This  sheet  of  water 
is  no  less  than  forty  miles  long;  but,  to  my  shame  I con- 
fess, I never  heard  its  name  till  a week  before  I saw  it.  It 
is  remarkable  for  a long  bridge  built  across  it,  certainly  the 
longest  I ever  saw.  It  took  me  fifteen  minutes  and  twenty 
seconds,  smart  walking,  to  go  from  end  to  end,  and  mea- 
sured 1850  paces.  The  toll-keeper  at  the  eastern  end  in- 
formed me,  that  it  was  a mile  and  eight  rods  in  length.  The 
lake  thereabouts  is  not  deep,  and  the  bridge,  which  is  built 
of  wood,  stands  on  loose  stone  piers.  I amused  myself  by 
making  a sketch  of  it  with  the  Camera  Lucida,  till  the  sun 
wrent  down,  and  then,  as  the  inn  was  comfortable,  and  the 
people  obliging,  we  resolved  to  stay  for  the  night. 

We  left  Cayuga  at  eight  in  the  morning,  after  a furious 
thunder  shower  had  drenched  every  thing,  and  set  all  the 
roads  afloat.  But  floundering  amtmgsT  the  mud  was  far 
preferable  to  gasping  in  the  clouds  of  dust  by  which  we  had 
been  pestered  for  several  hot  days  before.  The  cold,  in- 
deed, was  now  so  great,  that  we  were  fain  to  let  down  the 
leather  curtains  of  the  stage,  and  wrap  ourselves  in  all 
the  cloaks  we  could  muster.  Such  is  the  changeable  na- 
ture of  an  American  climate. 

We  dined  at  Geneva,  a town  placed  at  the  end  of  Se- 
neca lake,  so  named  after  one  of  the  extinct,  or  nearly  ex- 
tinct, tribes  of  Indians.  The  situation  of  the  town  has  no 
doubt  suggested  its  appellation;  for  it  stands  much  in  the 
correspondent  position,  relatively  to  the  lake,  with  the  city 
of  Geneva  in  Switzerland. 

As  we  drew  onwards  to  the  west,  we  observed  a gradual 


76 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


acceleration  in  the  speed  at  which  the  people  swallowed  j 
their  meals.  After  what  we  saw  at  New  York,  I had  ima- 
gined this  to  be  impossible;  nor  can  any  foreigner  fully  un- 
derstand, till  he  has  seen  an  American  public  table,  how  j 
quickly  a dinner  may  by  possibility  be  got  over.  At  the  j 
end  of  the  first  quarter  of  an  hour  we  were  almost  always  ] 
left  alone,  but,  generally  speaking,  about  half  of  the  company  ! 
were  done  much  sooner.  In  the  course  of  time  we  came  to  j 
acquire  these  habits  tolerably  well,  though  we  never  got  up  j 
with  the  chase  completely.  At  Geneva,  .our  movements  j 
were  quickened  by  seeing  that  another  party,  consisting  of  ] 
the  attendants,  were  waiting  for  us.  In  about  ten  or  fifteen  ’ 
minutes  afterwards,  I had  occasion  to  pass  through  the  i 
dining-room.  The  second  set  of  eaters  had  also  vanished  j 
by  this  time';  but  I observed  a single  person,  seated  at  the 
end  of  the  table,  and  dining  quite  alone.  This  seemed  J 
very  odd;  and,  as  he  was  a well-dressed  and  respectable- 
looking man,  my  curiosity  was  roused  to  know  who  or  what  ; 
he  could  be.  I therefore  walked  round  in  front  of  him,  j 
pretending  to  look  for  something,  wThen  lo!  it  was  a negro!  j 

By  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  New  York,  j 
every  remaining  slave  became  free  on  the  4th  of  July,  1827.  i 
All  trading  in  slaves  had  been  long  before  abolished  in  this  ! 
and  many  of  the  other  states;  but  it  will  readily  be  under- 
stood how  the  fact  of  negro  slavery , still  existing  in  the  \ 
greater  part  of  the  Union,  must  have  the  effect  of  perpe- 
tuating the  degradation  of  that  unfortunate  race  over  the  j 
whole  country,  and  of  rendering  any  assimilation,  or  cordial 
intercourse  between  the  blacks  and  whites,  quite  impossi-  1 
ble,  even  in  those  states  where  slavery  does  not  exist. 

The  numbers  of  the  free  and  the  slave  population  of  the  J 
United  States  are  given  in  Watterstoii’s  tables,  page  7,  as  j 
follows:— 

Whites  and  all  other  free  persons,  estimated  to  the 

1st  of  Jan.  1828,  .....  9,510,307 

Slaves  at  the  same  date,  ....  1,838,155 

Total  population,  .....  11,548,462 

whiclvshows  that  the  slaves  form  nearly  one  sixth  part  of  4 
the  whole.* 

By  the  new  constitution  of  the  state  of  New  York,  adopt-  J 

* Tabular  Statistical  Views,  by  George  Watterston  and  Nicholas  Bid-  | 
die  Van  Zandt.  Published  under  the  patronage  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States.  Washington,  Jan.  1829. 


UNITED  STATES. 


■i  i 

ed  in  the  latter  part  of  1821,  men  of  colour  are  allowed  to 
vote  at  elections,  44  If  they  have  been  citizens  of  the  state 
three  years,  and  be  seised  and  possessed  of  a freehold  es 
tate  of  the  value  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  for  one 
year  preceding  any  such  election. ” This  certainly  is  a great 
step.  The  rule  with  respect  to  the  whites,  it  may  be  well 
to  mention  also.  “Every  male  citizen,  who  shall  have 
been  an  inhabitant  of  the  state  one  year  preceding  any  elec 
tion,  and  shall  have  performed  certain  duties,  is  entitled  to 
vote  in  the  town  or  ward  where  he  actually  resides,  for  all 
officers  that  are  elective  by  the  people.” 

Some  time  ago,  a circumstance  occurred  in  the  legisla 
ture  of  New  York,  which  excited  a good  deal  of  interest. 
Their  daily  proceedings  are  always  commenced  by  prayer; 
and  the  different  clergymen,  without  any  distinction  of 
sects,  perform  the  office  of  chaplain  in  turn.  Upon  one  oc- 
casion, however,  it  happened  that  a black  preacher,  a per- 
fectly respectable  man,  gave  in  his  name  as  wishing  to  offi- 
ciate. A vehement  debate,  I am  informed,  took  place  upon 
this  point;  but,  after  several  days’  discussion,  and  before 
any  vote  was  taken,  the  black  minister  withdrew  his  appli- 
cation, and  the  question  therefore  remains  undecided.  The 
fact  is,  the  public  feeling  in  America  is  not  ripe  for  such  a 
glaring  innovation.  What  should  we  think  in  England, 
were  we  to  see  a black  woolly  head  start  up  in  the  pulpit 
of  St.  George’s,  Hanover  Square  ? There  is  nothing  like 
bringing  these  questions  home. 

Since  leaving  the  city  of  New  York,  we  had  seen  no  bells 
in  any  of  the  public  houses;  and  persons  who  have  been 
used  to  such  luxuries  all  their  lives,  can  hardly  understand? 
till  they  try,  the  amount  of  annoyance  which  these  and 
many  other  minor  wants  are  capable  of  producing.  For  in- 
stance, it  might  seem  a very  pretty  discomfort,  to  be  obliged 
to  use  a two-pronged  fork,  instead  of  one  with  three  prongs; 
and  so,  perhaps,  it  might  prove,  provided  a stranger  could 
reconcile  it  to  himself  to  eat  with  his  knife.  But  as  this 
ugly,  not  to  say  dangerous  practice,  is  followed  in  England 
only  by  the  lowest  vulgar,  it  comes  very  awkwardly  to  a 
traveller’s  notice  at  first,  however  recommended  by  univer- 
sal custom  in  America.  Between  reluctance  to  do  what  he 
has  been  taught  to  consider  ill-bred,  and  the  desire  to  please 
by  conformity,  and  the  impossibility  of  fishing  up  peas,  for 
example,  or  rice,  with  the  forks  exclusively  used  in  that 
country,  many  good  things  are  apt  to  slip  away  from  him. 

But  I was  speaking  of  the  want  of  bells.  It  is  in  vain 
that  you  thump  the  floor;  or  rap  the  plate  with  your  knife? 
Yol.  i.  8 


78 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


as  in  Italy.  In  that  rich  climate  the  doors  stand  wide  open. 
In  America,  they  are  generally  shut;  or  if  you  open  them, 
and  put  your  head  into  the  passage,  you  may  call  and  bawl 
for  ever  without  effect.  It  seems  the  servants  themselves,  or 
the  helps,  or  hirelings,  or  whatever  name  they  think  it  least 
degrading  to  go  by,  do  not  like  being  summoned  by  a ring- 
ing of  bells.  Accordingly,  there  was  often  no  method  left, 
but  to  do  the  things  required  for  ourselves.  One  day  I was 
rather  late  for  breakfast,  and  as  there  was  no  water  in  my 
jug,  or  pitcher,  as  they  call  it,  I set  off,  post  haste,  half- 
shaved,  half-dressed,  and  more  than  half-vexed,  in  quest  of 
water;  like  a seaman  on  short  allowance,  hunting  for  rivu- 
lets on  some  unknown  coast.  I went  up  stairs  and  down 
stairs,  and  in  the  course  of  my  researches  into  half-a-dozen 
different  apartments,  might  have  stumbled  on  some  lady’s 
chamber,  as  the  song  says,  which,  considering  the  plight  I 
was  in,  would  have  been  awkward  enough. 

Our  next  halt  was  at  the  end  of  an  extremely  pretty  lake, 
not  quite  so  large  as  the  two  last  we  had  visited,  but  still  an 
extensive  piece  of  water.  This  lake,  and  the  village  which 
stands  at  the  northern  extremity,  are  called  Canandaigua.  I 
may  remark,  that  the  term  village  conveys  a different  idea  to 
us  from  what  it  does  to  an  American.  The  word  town  would 
seem  more  appropriate,  as  these  villages  are  not  composed 
of  cottages  clustered  together;  but  of  fine  houses,  divided  by 
wide  streets,  and  embellished  by  groves  of  trees  and  flower 
gardens.  At  certain  corners  of  all  these  villages,  or  towns, 
blacksmiths,  coopers,  and  other  artisans,  are  of  course  to  be 
found;  but  generally  speaking,  the  houses  at  Canandaigua, 
for  instance,  have  more  the  appearance  of  separate  country 
houses,  than  of  mere  component  parts  of  a village.  In  the 
centre  there  is  always  left  an  open  space  or  market-place, 
with  showy  hotels  on  one  side;  the  court-house  on  the  other; 
and  perhaps  a church  and  a meeting-house,  to  complete 
the  square. 

Canandaigua  lies  nearly  in  the  centre  of  Ontario  county, 
a large  tract  of  which  was  purchased  many  years  ago,  I be- 
lieve in  1790,  by  some  English  gentlemen,  who  paid  about 
five  cents  an  acre  for  it,  or  about  two-pence  half-penny. 
Great  part  of  it  has  since  been  sold  at  prices  varying  from 
one  and  two  dollars,  to  ten,  and  even  twenty  dollars. 

A district  of  country,  intended  for  the  market,  is  first  sur- 
veyed, and  laid  out  into  square  portions,  a mile  each  way. 
At  the  corner  of  each  of  these  square  miles  a stake  is  driven 
in,  with  a proper  number  or  letter  carved  upon  it;  and  the 
trees  between  this  post  and  the  next,  which  is  always  fixed 


UNITED  STATES. 


79 


due  north  or  south,  or  due  east  or  west  of  it,  are  marked  by 
means  of  what  are  called  blazes.  This  operation  consists 
in  shaving  off  a slice  about  twice  as  large  as  a man’s  hand, 
with  an  axe,  at  about  seven  or  eight  feet  from  the  ground.  In 
this  way,  when  a set  of  lines,  running  in  the  direction  of  the 
meridian,  are  intersected  by  another  set  stretching  east  and 
west,  the  unoccupied  country  is  covered  with  a net-work  of 
divisions  a mile  square,  each  containing  640  acres. 

A settler  who  has  a fancy  to  take  up  his  quarters  in  a dis- 
trict so  marked  out,  dives  into  the  forest,  and  roves  about 
till  he  lights  upon  a spot  to  his  mind.  He  next  sets  about 
finding  what  are  the  marks  upon  the  stakes  nearest  to  him, 
and  by  reference  to  these,  the  land  agent,  who  has  maps  be- 
fore him,  can  at  once  lay  his  hand  upon  the  very  spot.  A. 
second  reference  to  the  surveyor’s  report,  also  in  the  land- 
office,  determines  the  nature  of  the  soil,  the  quality  of  the 
timber  growing  upon  it,  its  distance  from  a navigable  river, 
or  from  a road,  and  what  is  the  nearest  town;  in  short,  all 
the  circumstances  upon  which  depend  its  value  in  the  mar- 
ket. A bargain  is  now  made  between  the  agent  and  the 
new  comer.  A tenth  part,  or  some  other  proportion  of  the 
purchase-money,  according  to  circumstances,  is  required  to 
be  paid  down  at  once,  and  the  rest,  it  is  stipulated,  shall  fol- 
low by  instalments.  If  the  settler,  fortunately,  have  ready 
money  enough  to  pay  for  the  whole  at  the  moment,  he  gets 
his  title-deeds  immediately;  if  not,  he  must  wait  til?  the  in- 
stalments are  paid  up.  It  is  important  to  observe,  that  no 
such  instrument  is  binding,  unless  it  be  previously  registered 
in  a public  office,  expressly  formed  for  this  purpose,  and 
nearly  resembling,  as  far  as  I know,  the  system  of  registra- 
tion in  Scotland.  All  mortgages,  or  other  liens  upon  real 
property,  may  be  thus  at  once  ascertained. 

The  settler  then  proceeds  to  his  lot,  which  may  be  the 
whole  or  any  portion  of  the  square  mile  that  he  and  the  land- 
agent  can  agree  about.  There  he  chops  down  the  trees, 
burns  some  of  them,  makes  his  house  of  others,  and  splits 
the  remainder  into  poles  for  his  fences;  and  by  bringing  his 
land  into  cultivation,  he  is  enabled  to  pay  up  his  purchase 
money  from  time  to  time.  If,  instead  of  being  industrious, 
he  be  idle  or  dissipated,  or  get  tired  of  his  bargain,  he 
%valks  off  without  ceremony,  and  without  scruple;  because 
he  leaves  the  property  better  than  he  found  it.  It  does  not 
much  signify  in  this  respect  whether  he  have  done  much  or 
little  to  it;  since  every  turn  of  work  upon  it  for  the  first  few 
years,  can  have  no  other  effect  than  raising  its  value,  by 
getting  rid  of  the  woods. 


80 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


From  all  I could  learn,  there  appears  to  be  a singular  de- 
gree of  pleasurable  excitement  attending  this  process  of  clear- 
ing waste  lands;  for  it  is  apparently  not  so  much  the  end,  as 
the  means,  which  afford  this  gratification.  A settler,  espe- 
cially from  the  New  England  states,  often  begins  the  world 
in  that  country  with  no  other  fortune  than  a stout  heart  and 
a good  axe.  With  these  he  has  no  fears,  and  sets  merrily 
forward  in  his  attack  upon  the  wilderness.  In  the  course  of 
the  first  year  he  raises  a little  Indian  corn,  and  other  things, 
which  keep  him  alive,  and  enable  him  to  supply  various 
wants.  Next  season  he  makes  a fresh  start  with  improved 
means,  and  a few  less  discomforts,  but  always  with  a confi- 
dent spirit.  By  and  by,  he  marries,  raises  a family,  buys 
more  cows,  pigs,  and  horses,  and  so  on,  little  by  little  carving 
out  his  fortune  by  dint  of  hard  labour.  In  time  his  sons  grow 
up,  and  help  him  to  take  in  fresh  and  richer  land;  when  he 
can  afford  to  do  that,  he  sells  what  he  had  formerly  cleared; 
and  thus  goes  on  chopping  and  clearing,  and  bringing  up  a 
troop  of  broad-shouldered  sons,  strapping  fellows,  whom  he 
sends  out,  or  rather  who  send  themselves  out,  from  time  to 
time,  to  the  westward,  to  subvert  other  forests,  and  run  the 
same  round  their  hard-working  father  has  run  before  them. 

This  passion  for  turning  up  new  soils,  and  clearing  the 
wilderness,  heretofore  untouched  by  the  hand  of  man,  is  said 
to  increase  with  years.  Under  such  constant  changes  of 
place,  there  can  be  very  little  individual  regard  felt  or  pro- 
fessed for  particular  spots.  I might  almost  say,  that  as  far 
as  I could  see  or  learn,  there  is  nothing  in  any  part  of  Ame- 
rica similar  to  what  we  call  local  attachments.  There  is  a 
strong  love  of  country,  it  is  true;  but  this  is  quite  a different 
affair,  as  it  seems  to  be  entirely  unconnected  with  any  per- 
manent fondness  for  one  spot  more  than  another. 

A large  and  handsome  farm-house,  near  Canandaigua,  was 
pointed  out  to  me  one  day,  the  owner  of  which  had  come  to 
that  part  of  the  country  between  twenty  and  thirty  years  be- 
fore, at  which  period  it  was  pretty  nearly  an  unbroken  forest. 
He  commenced  with  very  slender  means;  but  persevered  in 
clearing  away  the  woods,  and  ploughing  up  the  ground,  till 
he  came  at  last  to  accumulate  a considerable  fortune.  He 
then  built  a large  brick  house,  married,  brought  up  sons  and 
daughters,  and  having  retained  his  health  and  spirits  entire 
to  the  age  of  sixty,  had  the  prospect  of  a quiet,  hearty, 
green  old  age  before  him. 

Nothing,  however,  was  farther  from  his  thoughts,  or  more 
repugnant  to  his  habits,  than  quiet.  He  missed  the  ardent 
excitement  of  his  past  life,  and  sighed  to  be  once  again  in  the 


UNITED  STATES. 


81 


heart  of  the  thicket.  Instead  of  finding  agreeable  compa- 
nionship in  the  population  which  was  crowding  round  about 
him,  he  considered  each  fresh  settler  as  an  intruder  on  his 
freedom  of  action;  a sort  of  spy  on  his  proceedings.  At 
length,  after  struggling  for  a while  with  the  privations  and 
inconveniences  of  civilization,  he  declared  he  could  stand  it 
no  longer.  So  he  made  over  his  farm  to  his  children,  and 
carrying  with  him  only  his  axe  and  his  wife,  a few  dollars,  a 
team  of  oxen,  and  a wagon  and  horses,  set  oft’  for  the  terri- 
tory of  Michigan,  the  Lord  knows  how  far  oft"  in  the  North- 
West.  There  he  is  now  chopping  down  wood,  and  labour- 
ing in  a sort  of  wild  happiness  from  morning  till  night,  to 
bring  new  lands  into  cultivation;  which,  in  the  course  of 
time,  if  he  live,  he  will  dispose  of  to  newer  settlers,  and 
again  decamp  to  the  westward. 

After  breakfast  on  the  23d  of  June,  we  set  out  from  Ca- 
nandaigua to  examine  a burning  spring  at  a place  called 
Bristol.  On  reaching  the  spot,  we  discovered  a spring  to  be 
sure,  but  could  see  no  flames.  A boy,  however,  was  des- 
patched for  a lantern  and  candle,  and  the  light  held  over  a 
great  many  places.  Still  no  fire  was  visible,  though  the  of- 
fensive smell  of  carburetted  hydrogen  could  not  be  mis- 
taken. I was  beginning  to  feel  that  awkward  sort  of  dis- 
trust which  accompanies  the  suspicion  of  being  quizzed, 
and  sent  on  what  is  called  a fool's  errand;  when  behold!  the 
air  caught  fire,  and  in  a few  minutes,  we  had  a row  of  natu- 
ral gaslights  blazing  in  a style  worthy  of  Pall-Mall,  for  many 
yards  along  the  banks  of  a pretty  little  valley;  in  the  mid- 
dle of  which  a clear  stream  of  water  was  leaping  merrily 
down  to  the  plains  below,  over  a series  of  steps,  or  slabs* 
formed  by  the  horizontal  strata  of  limestone  covering  all 
that  part  of  the  country. 

On  Sunday  we  attended  the  afternoon  service  in  the  Epis- 
copalian church.  In  America,  the  clergymen  are  chosen  by 
their  congregations,  and  may  be  dismissed  at  pleasure;  a 
practice  which  has  some  good,  and  some  bad  effects.  But  it 
is  not  of  church  discipline  I mean  to  speak  just  now.  The 
gentleman  who  preached  on  the  day  in  question,  was  in  the 
unpleasant  predicament  just  alluded  to.  After  three  years* 
service  his  parishioners,  it  seems,  became  tired  of  him,  and 
though  no  cause  was  assigned,  as  far  as  I could  learn,  the 
congregation  intimated  to  him  that  they  had  no  farther  occa- 
sion for  his  services.  On  this  day,  accordingly,  he  was  to 
preach  his  farewell  sermon.  Much  interest  was  naturally 
excited  to  know  in  what  temper  he  would  make  his  adieu. 
It  was  the  opinion  of  many  persons  whom  I heard  speaking 

8* 


TKAVELS  IN  THE 


of  the  circumstance,  that  he  had  been  rather  hardly  dealt 
with,  since  he  had  zealously  and  faithfully  performed  all  the 
duties  of  his  station.  No  one  seemed  to  know  in  the  least 
what  line  he  was  about  to  take;  for  he  had  the  unusual  good 
sense  to  keep  his  own  counsel.  His  opponents,  if  they  had 
really  no  charge  against  their  pastor,  may  have  been  a little 
umeasy;  and  his  friends,  I could  easily  discover,  were  very 
anxious.  I happened  to  be  living  amongst  his  well-wishers, 
and  naturally  floated  along  with  the  tide  which  bore  me, 
and  became  quite  a party-man — no  very  uncommon  case — 
without  knowing  any  thing  of  the  matter. 

The  text,  which  was  pithy  and  rather  angry,  gave  us  some 
alarm,  and  we  expected  to  hear  the  rattling  of  a severe  storm 
over  our  heads.  The  judicious  preacher,  however,  disap- 
pointed his  enemies,  and  gratified  his  friends;  for  while  there 
was  just  enough  in  the  text  to  show  that  he  felt  the  severity 
of  his  sentence,  the  discourse  itself  breathed  nothing  but  the 
truest  Christian  charity.  By  not  even  mentioning  the  word 
forgiveness,  he  studiously  avoided  showing  that  he  was  con- 
scious of  being  injured;  thus  leaving  any  reproachful  infe- 
rences to  be  drawn  in  secret  by  those  who  knew  the  truth, 
whatever  that  might  be.  It  struck  me  that  his  congregation, 
on  the  mere  strength  of  his  having  taste  and  discretion 
enough,  and  I may  add  humility,  not  to  set  up  a whining  jus- 
tification when  no  specific  charge  was  made,  ought  to  have 
voted  him  into  the  pulpit  again. 

His  salary  had  been  500  dollars,  or  about  100  guineas 
a-year,  and  upon  this  fortune  he  had  of  course  married.  He 
was  now  left,  however,  without  one  dollar  of  income,  and 
without  a church.  In  any  other  country  such  a contingency 
in  a man’s  affairs  would  be  disastrous  indeed;  but  in  Ameri- 
ca, where  the  field  is  comparatively  unoccupied,  a man  of 
his  stamp  is  quite  sure,  I was  told,  to  get  employmentagain, 
almost  immediately,  in  some  line  or  other. 

It  was  not  till  long  afterwards  that  I had  the  means  of 
studying  the  history  of  the  Protestant  Episcopalian  Church 
in  America,  though  well  worthy  of  attention.  In  the  mean- 
time, we  had  abundant  ocular  demonstration  of  the  respect 
paid  to  the  subject  of  religion;  for  scarcely  a single  village, 
however  small,  was  without  a church.  It  was  hinted  to  me, 
indeed,  silly,  that  these  churches  were  built  as  money  spe- 
culations, and  were  not  erected  by  the  villagers  themselves. 
But  this,  supposing  it  to  be  true,  confirms,  I think,  instead 
of  weakening,  the  position;  for  it  is  obvious  that  the  specu- 
lators in  church-seats  must  reckon  upon  a congregation;  and 
if  there  was  not  a steady  religious  sentiment  prevalent 


UNITED  STATES. 


83 


amongst  the  population,  these  adventurers  would  be  sure  to 
lose  their  money.- — Take  it  either  away,  it  is  clear  that  good 
must  be  the  result. 

The  wider,  and  far  more  important  question,  respecting 
the  general  effect  on  the  mass  of  the  nation,  in  consequence 
of  there  being  no  established  church  in  America,  is  a topic 
which,  for  many  reasons,  it  would  be  injudicious  to  handle 
at  this  stage  of  the  journey;  but  as  there  is  no  other  subject 
comparable  to  it  in  importance,  I shall  certainly  not  pass 
it  by. 

We  spent  three  most  agreeable  days  at  Canandaigua, 
where  we  were  fortunate  in  finding  ourselves  lodged  under 
the  roof  of  a countryman  of  our  own,  who,  though  a natu- 
ralized citizen  of  America,  and  true  to  all  his  duties  as  such, 
keeps  a portion  of  his  affections  in  reserve  for  other  countries. 
He  has  introduced  into  his  pretty  village  many  of  the  usages 
and  tastes  of  an  older  country;  an  example  which  has  been 
followed  in  some  instances,  and  is  calculated  to  do  much 
good.  At  all  events,  I can  answer  for  the  luxuries  alluded 
to  being  very  delightful  to  travellers  wrho,  like  ourselves,  had 
not  yet  learnt  to  exchange,  without  a sigh,  the  refinements 
to  which  we  had  been  accustomed,  for  the  inevitable  discom- 
forts of  a state  of  society  circumstanced  so  differently. 

On  the  25th  of  June  we  drove  across  the  country  to  the 
village  of  Rochester,  which  is  built  on  the  banks  of  the  Ge- 
nesee river,  just  above  some  beautiful  waterfalls,  and  only  a 
few  miles  from  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  whifch,  I 
was  sorry  to  find,  was  not  visible  from  thence,  owing  to  the 
dense  skreen  of  untouched  forest  which  intervenes.  The 
Erie  canal  passes  through  the  heart  of  this  singular  village, 
and  strides  across  the  Genesee  river  on  a noble  aqueduct  of 
stone. 

Rochester  is  celebrated  all  over  the  Union  as  presenting 
one  of  the  most  striking  instances  of  rapid  increase  in  size 
and  population  of  which  that  country  affords  any  example. 

It  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that  about  this  period  I began 
to  learn  that  in  America  the  word  improvement,  which,  in 
England,  means  making  things  better,  signifies,  in  that  coun- 
try, an  augmentation  in  the  number  of  houses  and  people, 
and,  above  all,  in  the  amount  of  the  acres  of  cleared  land. 
It  is  laid  down  by  the  Americans  as  an  admitted  maxim,  to 
doubt  the  solidity  of  which  never  enters  any  man’s  head  for 
an  instant,  that  a rapid  increase  of  population  is,  to  all  in- 
tents and  purposes,  tantamount  to  an  increase  of  national 
greatness  and  power,  as  well  as  an  increase  of  individual 
happiness  and  prosperity.  Consequently,  say  they,  such  in- 


84 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


crease  ought  to  be  forwarded  by  every  possible  means,  as 
the  greatest  blessing  to  the  country. 

I do  not  assert  that  the  Americans  are  entirely  wrong  in 
this  matter;  far  from  it;  increase  of  population  is  sometimes 
a symptom  of  prosperity.  But  it  may  or  may  not  prove  so, 
according  to  circumstances;  and,  at  all  events,  the  mere  in- 
crease of  numbers,  in  whatever  ratio,  is  not  by  any  means 
an  infallible  measure  of  a country’s  growing  power; — still 
less  of  its  happiness  and  virtue,  which  spring,  as  I conceive, 
from  sources  entirely  different  from  this  cause,  and  are  main- 
tained by  means  very  dissimilar. 

It  is  interesting,  I grant,  to  behold  millions  of  human  be- 
ings starting  into  life  in  the  wilderness.  But  I have  lived 
in  more  countries  than  one,  in  the  course  of  my  travels, 
where  this  rapid  production  of  the  human  species  was  un- 
doubtedly the  proximate  source  of  dreadful  evils  to  the  state. 
The  manufactory  of  people,  like  all  manufactories,  may  be 
overdone,  and  the  market  glutted.  The  Americans  do  not 
deny  this  principle  in  the  abstract,  but  they  say  the  time  is 
very  remote  when  it  will  apply  to  their  country.  Perhaps 
they  are  right.  All  I would  contend  for  at  this  moment  is, 
that,  even  in  that  country,  it  is  by  no  means  universally  and 
necessarily  true,  that  an  increase  of  population  brings  with 
it,  of  itself,  an  increase  of  national  greatness. 

Much  of  the  wealth,  and  power,  and  happiness  of  nations 
have  their  origin,  and  still  more  their  permanent  support,  in 
circumstances  of  which  little  or  no  account  is  taken  in  Ame- 
rica; or,  if  noticed  at  all,  only  to  be  scoffed  at.  My  present 
purpose,  however,  is  not  to  enter  deeply  into  these  specula- 
tions, but  to  describe  what  I actually  saw.  There  may 
come  a time  for  these  discussions  likewise;  but  in  the  mean- 
while, I am  merely  anxious  to  prevent  its  being  supposed 
that  I agree  to  the  unplrilosophical  position  alluded  to,  how- 
ever orthodox  it  may  be  held  in  America,  or  elsewhere. 

The  following  table  shows  the  annual  increase  of  popula- 
in  Rochester  since  1815,  the  first  year  in  which  a census 
was  taken:— 


Population. 

December,  1815,  331 

September,  1818,  1049 

August,  1820,  1502 

September,  1822,  2700 

bly  more  than  8000,  when  we  we 


Population. 

February,  1825,  4274 

August,  1825,  5273 

December,  1826,  7669  _ 

And  it  had  reached  considera- 
te there  in  the  middle  of  1827. 


It  may  not  be  uninteresting,  perhaps,  to  give  another  ta- 
ble, showing  the  number  of  persons  engaged  in  some  of  the 
principal  occupations  in  the  year  1826: — 


UNITED  STATES. 


85 


7 Clergymen 
25  Physicians 
28  .Lawyers 
74  Merchants 
89  Clerks 

84  Grocers 
33  Butchers 
48  Tailors 
24  Wheel-wrights 
21  Saddlers 

8 Tallow-chandlers 
423  Labourers 


184  Shoemakers 
20  Hatters 
73  Coopers 
23  Clothiers 

20  Millers 

21  Mill-wrights 
304  Carpenters 

29  Tanners 
23  Tinners 

(Qy.  Tinsmiths) 
14  Bakers 


17  Coach-makers 
67  Blacksmiths 
14  Gunsmiths 
10  Chair-makers 
95  Masons 

25  Cabinet-makers 
5 Comb-makers 

26  Painters 
16  Innkeepers 
16  Goldsmiths 
31  Printers 


* 4 Political  and  one  Religious  Newspaper. 

1 Christian  Monthly  Magazine. 


I have  copied  this  table  from  a work  called  44  The  Direc- 
tory for  the  Village  of  Rochester,  for  the  1st  of  January, 
1827.”  I see  in  it  no  mention  made  of  milliners,  though  I 
am  sure  we  observed  at  least  ^ dozen  shops  of  that  descrip- 
tion, besides  many  others  not  mentioned  in  the  above  list. 

The  ladies  in  America  obtain  their  fashions  direct  from 
Paris.  I speak  now  of  the  great  cities  on  the  sea-coast, 
where  the  communication  with  Europe  is  easy  and  frequent. 
In  the  back  settlements,  people  are  obliged  to  catch  what 
opportunities  come  in  their  way;  and  accordingly,  many  ap~ 
plications  were  made  to  us  for  a sight  of  our  wardrobe,  which, 
it  may  be  supposed,  was  none  of  the  largest.  The  child’s 
clothes  excited  most  interest,  however,  and  patterns  were 
asked  for  on  many  occasions. 

While  touching  on  this  subject,  I hope  I may  be  permit- 
ted to  say  a few  words,  without  giving  offence — certainly 
without  meaning  to  give  any — respecting  the  attire  of  the 
male  part  of  the  population,  who,  I have  reason  to  think,  do 
not,  generally  speaking,  consider  dress  an  object  deserving 
of  nearly  so  much  attention  as  it  undoubtedly  ought  to  re- 
ceive.  It  seems  to  me  that  dress  is  a branch,  and  not  an  un- 
important branch,  of  manners, —a  science  they  all  profess 
themselves  anxious  to  study.  The  men,  probably  without 
their  being  aware  of  it,  have,  somehow  or  other,  acquired  a 
habit  of  negligence  in  this  respect  quite  obvious  to  the  eye 
of  a stranger.  From  the  hat,  which  is  never  brushed,  to  the 
shoe,  which  is  seldom  polished,  all  parts  of  their  dress  are 
often  left  pretty  much  to  take  care  of  themselves.  Nothing 
seems  to  fit,,  or  to  be  made  vrith  any  precision. 

It  is  very  true,  they  are  quite  at  liberty  to  adopt  that  form 
of  dress,  as  well  as  that  form  of  government,  which  pleases 
them  best;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  I hope  it  will  be  granted 
that  both  the  one  and  the  other,  contradistinguished  as  they 


S6 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


are  so  much  from  what  is  seen  elsewhere,  are  perfectly  fair 
points  of  remark  for  a foreigner. 

The  chief  source  of  the  commercial  and  agricultural  pros- 
perity of  Rochester  is  the  Erie  canal,  as  that  village  is  made 
the  emporium  of  the  rich  agricultural  districts  bordering  on 
the  Genesee  riverj  and  its  capitalists  both  send  out  and  im- 
port a vast  quantity  of  wheat,  flour,  beef,  and  pork,  pot  and 
pearl  ashes,  whiskey,  and  so  on.  In  return  for  these  arti- 
cles, Rochester  supplies  the  adjacent  country  with  all  kinds 
of  manufactured  goods,  which  are  carried  up  by  the  canal 
from  New  York.  In  proportion  as  the  soil  is  brought  into 
cultivation,  or  subdued,  to  use  the  local  phrase,  the  con- 
sumers will  become  more  numerous,  and  their  means  more 
extensive.  Thus  the  demands  of  the  surrounding  country 
must  go  on  augmenting  rapidly,  and  along  with  them,  both 
the  imports  and  exports  of  every  kind  will  increase  in  pro- 
portion. There  were  in  1826  no  less  than  160  canal  boats, 
drawn  by  882  horses,  owned  by  persons  actually  residing  in 
the  village,  besides  numberless  others  belonging  to  non-re- 
sidents. 

Out  of  more  than  8000  souls  in  this  gigantic  young  village, 
there  was  not  to  be  found  in  1827  a single  grown-up  person 
born  there,  the  oldest  native  not  being  then  seventeen  years 
of  age.  The  population  is  composed  principally  of  emigrants 
from  New  England,  that  is  from  the  States  of  Massachusetts, 
Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  and 
Vermont.  Some  settlers  are  to  be  found  from  other  parts  of 
the  Unions  and  these,  together  with  a considerable  number 
from  Germany,  England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland,  and  a few 
natives  of  Canada,  Norway,  and  Switzerland,  make  up  a 
very  singular  society. 

IVIuch  of  all  this  prosperity  may  be  traced  to  the  cheap- 
ness of  conveyance  on  the  Erie  Canal.  The  charge  of  trans- 
port for  a barrel  of  flour,  which  weighs  196  pounds,  from 
Rochester  to  the  Hudson  River,  a distance  of  268  miles,  in 
the  spring  and  autumn,  or,  as  it  is  termed,  the  Fall,  is  one 
dollar,  or  about  4s.  3d.  In  summer  it  is  only  about  three- 
quarters  of  a dollar,  or  about  3s.  2d.  Passengers  are  car- 
ried in  freight  boats  for  1§  cent,  or  about  three  farthings  a- 
mile,  exclusive  of  board,  and  travel  about  60  miles  in  24 
hours.  In  the  canal  packets  the  fare,  including  all  expenses, 
is  generally  four  cents,  or  about  twopence  per  mile.  The 
boats  run  day  and  night,  and  accomplish  about  80  miles  in 
24  hours.  The  cost  for  travelling  by  land  in  the  stages,  ex- 
clusive of  board,  is  three  cents  and  a half  per  mile,  or  about 
a penny  and  three  farthings. 


UNITED  STATES* 


87 


CHAPTER  V. 

On  the  26th  of  June,  1827,  we  strolled  through  the  village 
of  Rochester,  under  the  guidance  of  a most  obliging  and  in- 
telligent friend,  a native  of  this  part  of  the  country.  Every 
thing  in  this  bustling  place  appeared  to  be  in  motion.  The 
very  streets  seemed  to  be  starting  up  of  their  own  accord, 
ready-made,  and  looking  as  fresh  and  new,  as  if  they  had 
been  turned  out  of  the  workmen’s  hands  but  an  hour  before, 
or  that  a great  boxful  of  new  houses  had  been  sent  by  steam 
from  New  York,  and  tumbled  out  on  the  half-cleared  laud. 
The  canal  banks  were  at  some  places  still  unturfed;  the  lime 
seemed  hardly  dry  in  the  masonry  of  the  aqueduct,  in  the 
bridges,  and  in  the  numberless  great  saw-mills  and  manu- 
factories. In  many  of  these  buildings  the  people  were  at 
work  below  stairs,  while  at  top  the  carpenters  were  busy 
nailing  on  the  planks  of  the  roof. 

Some  dwellings  were  half  painted,  while  the  foundations 
of  others,  within  five  yards9  distance,  were  only  beginning. 
I cannot  say  how  many  churches,  court-houses,  jails,  and  ho- 
tels I counted,  all  in  motion,  creeping  upwards.  Several 
streets  were  nearly  finished,  but  had  not  as  yet  received  their 
names;  and  many  others  were  in  the  reverse  predicament, 
being  named,  but  not  commenced, — -their  local  habitation 
being  merely  signified  by  lines  of  stakes.  Here  and  there 
we  saw  great  warehouses,  without  window  sashes,  but  half 
filled  with  goods,  and  furnished  with  hoisting  cranes,  ready 
to  fish  up  the  huge  pyramids  of  flour  barrels,  bales,  and  boxes 
lying  in  the  streets.  In  the  centre  of  the  town  the  spire  of 
a Presbyterian  church  rose  to  a great  height,  and  on  each 
side  of  the  supporting  tower  was  to  be  seen  the  dial-plate  of 
a clock,  of  which  the  machinery,  in  the  hurrv-skurry,  had 
been  left  at  New  York.  I need  not  say  that  these  half- 
finished,  whole-finished,  and  embryo  streets  were  crowded 
with  people,  carts,  stages,  cattle,  pigs,  far  beyond  the  reach 
of  numbers; — and  as  all  these  were  lifting  up  their  voices  to- 
gether, in  keeping  with  the  clatter  of  hammers,  the  ringing 
of  axes,  and  the  creaking  of  machinery,  there  was  a fine 
concert,  I assure  you! 

But  it  struck  us  that  the  interest  of  the  town,  for  it  seems 
idle  to  call  it  a village,  was  subordinate  to  that  of  the  su- 
burbs. A few  years  ago  the  whole  of  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try was  covered  with  a dark  silent  forest,  and  even  as  it  was, 
we  could  not  proceed  a mile  in  any  direction  except  that  of 


88 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


the  high-road,  without  coming  full-butt  against  the  woods  of 
time  immemorial.  When  land  is  cleared  for  the  purposes 
of  cultivation,  the  stumps  are  left  standing  for  many  years, 
from  its  being  easier,  as  well  as  more  profitable  in  other  re-  j 
spects,  to  plough  round  them,  than  to  waste  time  and  la- 
bour in  rooting  them  out,  or  burning  them,  or  blowing  them 
up  with  gunpowder.  But  when  a forest  is  levelled  with  a 
view  to  building  a town  in  its  place,  a different  system  must 
of  course  be  adopted.  The  trees  must  then  be  removed 
sooner  or  later,  according  to  the  means  of  the  proprietor,  or 
the  necessities  of  the  case.  Thus  one  man  possessed  of  capi- 
tal will  clear  his  lot  of  the  wood,  and  erect  houses,  or  even 
streets,  across  it;  while  on  his  neighbour’s  land  the  trees  may 
be  still  growing.  And  it  actually  occurred  to  us,  several 
times,  within  the  immediate  limits  of  the  inhabited  town  it- 
self, in  streets,  too,  where  shops  were  opened,  and  all  sorts  of 
business  actually  going  on,  that  we  had  to  drive  first  on  one 
side,  and  then  on  the  other,  to  avoid  the  stumps  of  an  oak, 
or  a hemlock,  or  a pine  tree,  staring  us  full  in  the  face. 

On  driving  a little  beyond  the  streets  towards  the  woods, 
we  came  to  a space,  about  an  acre  in  size,  roughly  enclosed, 
on  the  summit  of  a gentle  swell  in  the  ground. 

“ What  can  this  place  be  for  ?” 

64  Oh,”  said  my  companion,  “that  is  the  grave  yard.” 

“Grave  yard — what  is  that?”  said  1$  for  I was  quite 
adrift. 

“ Why,  surely,”  said  he,  44  you  know  what  a grave  yard 
is  ? It  is  a burying  ground.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  place 
are  buried  there,  whatever  be  their  persuasion.  We  don’t 
use  church  yards  in  America.” 

After  we  had  gone  about  a mile  from  town  the  forest  thick- 
ened, we  lost  sight  of  every  trace  of  a human  dwelling,  or 
of  human  interference  with  nature  in  any  shape.  We  stood  - 
considering  what  we  should  do  next,  wrhen  the  loud  crash  of 
a falling  tree  met  our  ears.  Our  friendly  guide  was  showing 
off  the  curiosities  of  the  place,  and  was  quite  glad,  he  said, 
to  have  this  opportunity  of  exhibiting  the  very  first  step  in 
the  process  of  town-making.  After  a zig-zag  scramble 
amongst  trees,  which  had  been  allowed  to  grow  up  and  de- 
cay century  after  century,  we  came  to  a spot  where  three  or 
four  men  were  employed  in  clearing  out  a street,  as  they  de-  J 
dared,  though  any  thing  more  unlike  a street  could  not  well 
be  conceived.  Nevertheless,  the  ground  in  question  cer- 
tainly formed  part  of  the  plan  of  the  town.  It  had  been 
chalked  out  by  the  surveyors’  stakes,  and  some  speculators 
having  taken  up  the  lots  for  immediate  building,  of  course 


89 


UNITED  STATES* 

found  it  necessary  to  open  a street  through  the  woods,  to  af- 
ford a line  of  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  village. 
As  fast  as  the  trees  were  cut  down,  they  were,  stripped  of 
their  branches  and  drawn  off  by  oxen,  sawed  into  planks, 
or  otherwise  fashioned  to  the  purposes  of  building,  without 
one  moment’s  delay.  There  was  little  or  no  exaggeration, 
therefore,  in  supposing  with  our  friend,  that  the  same  fir 
which  might  be  waving  about  in  full  life  and  vigour  in  the 
morning,  should  be  cut  down,  dragged  into  daylight,  squared, 
framed,  and  before  night,  be  hoisted  up  to  make  a beam  or 
rafter  to  some  tavern,  or  factory,  or  store,  at  the  corner  of  a 
street,  which  twenty -four  hours  before  had  existed  only  on 
paper,  and  yet  which  might  be  completed,  from  end  to  end* 
within  a week  afterwards. 

On  our  way  back  again  to  the  carriage,  which  had  been 
left  standing  in  the  avenue,  or  nick  cut  for  the  road  in  the 
forest,  we  fell  in  with  a gentleman  on  horseback,  ride  in 
hand,  and  bearing,  in  testimony  of  his  successful  sport,  a 
large  bunch  of  wild  pigeons  and  sleek-skinned  black  squir- 
rels, tied  to  his  saddle-bow.  He  had  been  gunning,  he  told 
us,  for  a couple  of  hours;  in  the  course  of  which  time,  he 
had  first  lost  his  horse,  and  in  looking  for  it,  had  missed  his 
marks,  and  so  of  course  lost  himself.  44  And  now,”  con- 
tinued the  sportsman,  44  that  I am  fairly  out  of  the  thicket, 
I am  almost  as  much  at  a loss  as  I was  before.  For,”  con- 
tinued he,  jestingly  to  our  companion,  44  you  have  been  get- 
ting up  such  a heap  of  new  work  here,  a man  does  not  know 
the  land  from  day  to  day.  You  have  placed  such  a lot  of 
taverns  and  houses  on  the  skirts  of  the  forest;  so  many  lime* 
kilns,  grocery  stores,  and  what  not,  side  by  side,  or  jumbled 
all  together,  amongst  the  trees,  that,  for  the  life  of  me,  I 
don’t  know  scarcely  where  I have  got  to,  more  than  I did  a 
while  ago  when  straying  amongst  the  trees  after  my  horse.” 

After  our  new  acquaintance  had  rode  on,  i asked  who  he 
was.  My  friend  desired  me  to  guess.  I thought  it  might 
be  the  baker?  the  butcher?  the  attorney?  the  bookseller? 
44  No!  no!  none  of  these.”  The  mason?  said  I,  or  some  such 
indispensable  personage?  44  No- — you  are  still  wrong.”  Had 
I guessed  all  night,  I never  should  have  thought  of  naming 
the  dancing  master!  but  so  it  was.  After  laughing  a little, 
I don’t  know  well  why,  I acknowledged  myself  well  pleased 
to  have  witnessed  so  undeniable  a symptom  of  refinement 
peeping  out  amongst  the  rugged  manners  of  the  forest.  I 
spoke  this  not  disrespectfully — quite  the  contrary.  At  first 
sight,  indeed,  it  would  seem,  that  where  people  are  so  in- 
tensely busy,  their  habits  must  almost  necessarily,  according 

Vol.  i.  9 


30 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


to  all  analogy,  partake  in  some  degree  of  the  unpolished  na: 
ture  of  their  occupations,  and,  consequently,  they  must  be 
more  or  less  insensible  to  the  value  of  such  refinements.  I 
was  therefore  glad  to  see  so  good  a proof,  as  far  as  it  went* 
of  my  being  in  error. 

There  is  a pang,  however,  it  must  be  honestly  confessed, 
which  sometimes  accompanies  the  wrenching  out  of  an  esta- 
blished opinion,  which  goes,  at  the  moment,  to  the  very  soul 
of  a disputant;  but  if  the  operation  be  adroitly  performed, 
It  is  followed  by  more  than  a correspondent  relief.  A good 
riddance  is  made  of  what  was  not  only  useless,  but  worse 
than  useless — positively  injurious — by  preventing  the  due 
operation  of  sounder  and  better  thoughts  in  the  neighbour* 
hood. 

In  travelling — -to  be  a little  less  enigmatical — it  is  not  al- 
ways easy  to  find  operators  of  adequate  skill;  and  we  are 
apt  to  be  as  much  injured  by  interested  and  dishonest  quacks, 
as  relieved  of  our  prejudices  by  men  of  talents,  knowledge, 
fairness,  and  good  sense- — a rare  combination!  so  that,  un- 
less the  observer’s  mental  constitution  be  good,  he  will  be 
very  liable  to  choose  those  remedies  which  only  tend  to  pal- 
liate the  disorder.  For  my  part,  I acknowledge  fairly,  that 
after  some  experience  in  the  embarrassing  science  of  travel- 
ling, I have  often  been  so  much  out  of  humour  with  the  peo- 
ple amongst  whom  I was  wandering,  that  I have  most  per- 
versely derived  pleasure  from  meeting  things  to  find  fault 
with;  and  very  often,  I am  ashamed  to  say,  when  asking  for 
information,  have  detected  that  my  wish  was  rather  to  prove 
my  original  and  prejudiced  conceptions  right,  than  to  disco- 
ver that  I had  previously  done  the  people  injustice.  The 
melancholy  truth  is,  that  when  once  wre  express  any  opinions, 
especially  if  we  use  strong  terms  for  that  purpose,  a sort  of 
parental  fondness  springs  up  for  the  offspring  of  our  lips, 
and  we  are  ready  to  defend  them  for  no  better  reason  than 
because  we  gave  them  birth.  Travellers,  therefore,  and 
others,  should  be  cautious  how  they  bring  such  a fine  family 
<6f  opinions  into  the  world,  which  they  can  neither  maintain 
respectably,  nor  get  rid  of  without  a certain  degree  of  in- 
consistency, generally  painful,  and  sometimes  ridiculous. 

On  the  27th  of  June  we  left  Rochester,  and  travelled 
about  30  miles  on  what  is  called  the  Ridge  Road,  which  runs 
along  the  summit  of  a gently  sloping  bank  of  sand  and  gra- 
vel, supposed  to  have  formed,  in  some  remote  era  of  the 
globe,  the  beach  of  Lake  Ontario,  to  the  southern  margin  of 
which  it  is  very  nearly  parallel,  though  a hundred  feet  higher 
in  level,  and  at  present  distant  from  it  eight  or  ten  miles* 


UNITED  STATES, 


91 


This  ridge  forms  the  southern  termination  to  a flat,  or  very 
moderately  inclined  belt  of  country,  once  probably  the  bot- 
tom of  the  lake,  above  the  general  level  of  which  flat  district 
this  old  beach  rises  to  the  height  of  15  or  20  feet.  The  slope 
of  the  south  side  of  the  ridge  is  much  steeper  than  that  of 
the  north  which  faces  the  lake.  In  this  respect  it  resembles 
very  much  the  natural  embankments  which  I have  seen  in 
many  different  sea-coasts  and  shores  of  lakes,  where  the 
combined  action  of  the  wind  and  water  had  formed  eleva- 
tions along  the  beach,  with  a back-water,  as  it  is  called, 
lying  behind  them.  This  takes  place  on  the  shores  of  Ma- 
labar, on  the  western  side  of  the  peninsula  of  India;  and  I 
saw  something  like  it  on  the  western  shores  of  Lake  Onta- 
rio; the  result  of  causes  now  in  actual  operation. 

There  are  two  points  to  be  attended  to  in  all  such  inqui- 
ries; one  is,  to  establish,  on  reasonable  grounds,  that  the  phe- 
nomenon we  see  before  us  has  been  formed  in  the  way  we 
suppose;  and  the  other  is,  to  account  for  what  has  happened 
since.  I have  scarcely  the  shadow  of  a doubt,  nor  can  I 
conceive  how  any  person  acquainted  with  such  things  can. 
have  any  doubt,  about  the  ridge  in  question  having  been  at 
one  time  the  beach  of  Lake  Ontario,  when  it  stood  at  a higher 
level  than  it  now  does.  But  the  step  which  the  imagination 
has  to  make  from  this  conviction,  across  the  intermediate  pe- 
riod, down  to  the  present  day,  is  gigantic  indeed. 

Such  evidences  of  the  changes  which  the  surface  of  the 
-earth  has  undergone,  are  well  calculated  not  only  to  fill  us 
with  admiration,  but,  by  carrying  us  back,  irresistibly,  to 
those  remote  ages,  which  it  makes  the  mind  giddy  to  look 
into,  to  rouse  our  curiosity  to  the  highest  pitch,  and  at  once 
to  gratify  and  to  disappoint  us.  The  poetical  creations  of 
fancy,  on  the  other  hand,  however  skilfully  combined,  are 
nothing  but  dreams;  and  although  they  often  excite  us  in  a 
very  powerful  manner,  they  must  alv/ays  produce  effects  of 
a character  totally  distinct  from  those  left  by  a contempla* 
tion  of  such  tangible,  actually  existing  examples  of  the  work- 
ings of  time,  and  of  those  powers  to  which  we  see  no  limit 

To  common-place,  every-day  experience,  this  ridge  road, 
viewed  without  reference  to  its  geological  history,  offers  no- 
thing to  the  observation  of  a traveller  more  than  a better 
carriage  way  than  he  has  seen  for  some  days  past.  But 
when  his  imagination,  conducted  by  legitimate  reasoning,  is 
brought  to  bear  upon  it,  a glorious  chain  of  events  in  the  re- 
volution of  the  Earth’s  surface  is  made  apparent.  The  or- 
der and  degree  of  all  the  circumstances  are  placed  so  palpa- 
bly before  Kim,  that  he  can  almost  fancy  himself  standing  on 


92 


TRATEXSTN  THE 


the  banks  of  the  lake  in  its  ancient  state,  ready  to  witness 
the  disruption  of  that  immense  barrier  of  which  all  traces 
are  now  gone,  but  which,  at  one  period,  must  have  confined 
the  water  at  a level  sufficiently  high  to  submerge  a great  part 
of  the  surrounding  continent. 

The  sun  had  set  before  we  reached  the  village  of  Ridge- 
way, close  to  Oak  Orchard  Creek,  and  the  twilight  overtook 
me  before  I had  rigged  up  the  Camera  Lucida,  to  make  a 
sketch  of  a very  wild-looking,  cleared  space  of  ground. 
While  I was  poring  over  the  paper,  and  straining  my  eyes 
to  make  the  most  of  the  ebbing  light,  I heard  a knot  of  the 
villagers  discussing  a question  of  law,  or  rather  of  police. 
The  point  at  issue  was  the  propriety  of  arresting  a person 
who  had  bailed  another  man.  The  principal,  that  is  to  say 
the  debtor,  had  been  within  the  creditor’s  reach;  but  as  he— 
the  debtor — was  known  to  be  insolvent,  he  was  allowed  to 
escape;  after  which  the  bondsman  was  laid  hold  of,  and  from 
him,  a man  of  substance,  the  money  was  recovered.  There 
was  more  law  in  the  discussion  than  I could  follow; — and  I 
suppose  it  was  my  ignorance  which  made  me  wonder  that  two 
opinions  could  be  held  on  such  a point. 

At  a pause  in  the  argument,  one  of  the  party  got  up  and 
said,  “I  think  as  there  is  a strange  lady  and  gentleman  here 
sitting  amongst  us,  we  should  be  entertaining  them  much 
better  by  giving  them  a song,  than  by  discussing  a long  story 
about  the  practice  of  the  law,— What  say  you,  Mr.  Bottum?” 

The  person  he  addressed,  caught  eagerly  at  the  opportuni- 
ty of  enacting  any  part  that  was  in  request,  and  without  the 
customary  airs  and  graces  of  singers,  immediately  struck  up, 
i6  as  ’twere  any  nightingale,”  what  might  be  called  a psalm- 
tune  in  a minor  key,  and  gave  us  an  amusing  song  of  his 
own  composition.  I regret  that  I have  not  room  for  the 
whole  production,  as  it  is  full  of  local  allusions  which  might 
somewhat  help  on  my  own  story.  The  last  stanza  ran  as 
follows:— 

£C  Tom  Bottum  of  Oak  Orchard  has  pointed  out  the  way. 

To  dress  jmurselves  in  splendour,  the  richest  and  the  gay; 

You  may  dress  in  silks  and  satins  without  the  least  of  fear; 

For  he’ll  keep  a-making  silk  yet  these  hundreds  of  years.” 

The  author,  it  thus  appeared,  was  not  only  a manufacturer 
of  verses,  but  a manufacturer  of  silk,  and  something  also  of 
an  agriculturist;  for,  with  the  characteristic  activity  of  his 
country,  he  had  himself  introduced  the  mulberry  tree  and 
the  silk-worm;  and  having  instructed  his  family  in  the  art  of 
rearing  them,  speedily  set  the  whole  village  a-winding  and 


UNITED  STATES, 


:93 


weaving.  Our  merry  friend’s  poetry,  therefore,  carried 
with  it,  besides  its  other  recommendations,  the  novelty  of 
historical  truth  to  grace  its  inspiration. 

It  so  rarely  happens  that  one  meets  with  such  universal 
geniuses — except  in  a play — that  I cannot  deny  myself  the 
pleasure  of  giving  one  more  graphic  stanza  of  this  worthy 
handicraftsman’s  song,  before  bidding  him  good*by, 

£c  Here’s  sport  for  the  huntsman,  his  dog1.,  and  his  gun, 

Start  a deer  on  the  Ridge,  to  Ontario  he’ll  run, 

Whilst  the  fanner  with  his  butcher’s  knife  is  bringing  up  the  rear;—*. 

So  there’s  sport  for  the  huntsman  these  hundreds  of  years.” 

On  the  28th  of  June,  we  proceeded  to  Lockport,  a strag- 
gling, busy,  wooden  village,  with  the  Erie  canal  cutting  it 
in  two,  and  hundreds  of  pigs,  stage-eoaches^  and  wagons, 
occupying  the  crowded  streets^  while  a curious  mixture  of 
'listlessness  and  bustle  characterized  the  appearance  of  the 
inhabitants. 

Lockport  is  celebrated  over  the  United  States  as  the  site 
of  a double  set  of  canal  locks,  admirably  executed,  side  by 
side,  five  in  each,  one  for  boats  going  up,  the  other  for  those 
coming  down  the  canal.  The  original  level  of  the  rocky  ta- 
ble-land about  Lockport  is  somewhat,  though  not  much,  high- 
er than  the  surface  of  lake  Erie,  from  which  it  is  distant, 
by  the  line  of  the  canal,  about  thirty  miles.  In  order  to  ob- 
tain the  advantage  of  having  such  an  inexhaustible  reservoir 
as  lake  Erie  for  a feeder  to  the  canal,  it  became  necessary 
to  cut  down  the  top  of  the  ridge  on  which  Lockport  stands, 
to  bring  the  canal  level  somewhat  below  that  of  the  lake. 
For  this  purpose,  a magnificent  excavation,  called  the  Deep 
Cutting,  several  miles  in  length,  with  an  average  depth  of 
twenty-five  feet,  was  made  through  a compact,  horizontal 
limestone  stratunw-a  work  of  great  expense  and  labour,  and 
highly  creditable  to  all  parties  concerned. 

The  Erie  canal  is  363  miles  in  length,  40  feet  wide  at  the 
surface,  28  at  bottom,  and  four  feet  deep.  There  are  83 
locks  of  masonry,  each  90  feet  long  by  15  wide.  The  ele- 
vation of  Lake  Erie  above  the  Hudson  at  Albany,  is  about 
555  feet$  but  the  lockage  up  and  down  on  the  whole  voyage 
is  662  feet. 

This  great  work,  which  was  commenced  on  the  4th  of  July, 
1817,  was  completed  in  eight  years  and  four  months,  and  cost 
about  nine  millions  and  a half  of  dollars,  or  somewhat  more 
than  two  millions  sterling.  A considerable  sum  has  been 
since  expended  annually  in  repairing  occasional  breaches* 
i&nd  in  rendering  various  parts  more  substantial  than  was 

9* 


94 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


thought  necessary  at  first.  These  expenses  were  always  cal-  i 
ciliated  upon,;  but  it  was  considered  an  object  of  primary  im- 
portance in  every  point  of  view,  to  open  the  canal,  from  end 
to  end,  and  bring  it  into  actual  use,  as  soon  as  possible;  even 
though  some  parts  of  it  might  not  have  been  completed  with 
the  utmost  degree  of  perfection.  The  result  showed  the 
wisdom  of  this  proceeding,  as  the  receipts  from  the  tolls  have 
greatly  exceeded  the  anticipated  amount;  and  accordingly 
have  furnished  the  canal  commissioners  with  adequate  means 
for  bringing  the  whole  into  the  proper  condition.  Property 
of  every  kind  has  risen  in  value,  as  might  have  been  expect- 
ed, in  all  those  parts  of  the  country  through  which  the  canal 
passes,  and  a vast  increase,  both  of  exports  and  imports,  has 
taken  place  in  those  sections  of  the  state  which  lie  between 
the  Hudson  and  the  lakes,  all  tending  to  increase  the  wealth 
and  importance  of  the  state  of  New  York. 

But  the  example  of  this  successful  experiment  has,  I sus- 
pect, done  some  mischief  in  the  rest  of  the  American  States; 
for  it  has  set  a-going  a multitude  of  projects,  many  of  which, 

I am  convinced,  can  never  answer  any  good  purpose,  except 
to  such  speculators  as  may  have  sold  their  original  shares  at 
a,  premium,  and  then  backed  out  of  the  scrape,  pretty  much 
as  many  of  the  joint  stock  company  jobbers  did  in  England 
in  1825.  It  would  be  invidious,  and  perhaps  rather  tiresome, 
to  describe  the  numerous  abortive  schemes  for  canals  and 
rail-roads  which  the  success  of  this  great  work  has  set  on 
foot,  particularly  as  opportunities  of  touching  upon  them  will 
occur  as  we  go  on. 

In  the  state  of  Ohio,  however,  which  lies  to  the  south- 
westward  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  has  Lake  Erie  for 
its  northern  boundai^,  great,  and  I think  well-bestowed  ef- 
forts, have  been  made  by  the  inhabitants,  to  take  advantage 
of  their  peculiar  situation,  and  to  co-operate  with,  rather 
than  to  rival,  their  sister  state.  By  means  of  canals  stretch- 
ing from  the  very  centre  of  that  fertile  region,  they  can  now 
send  their  produce  to  Lake  Erie;  from  whence  it  may  enter 
the  grand  canal  at  Buffalo,  and  so  find  its  way  to  Lockport, 
Rochester,  and  Albany;  and  from  thence  its  course  to  the 
sea  at  New  York  down  the  Hudson,  is  an  affair  of  a few 
hours.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  southern  market  is  deemed 
preferable  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  state  alluded  to,  they 
may  send  their  produce  by  canals  into  the  river  Ohio,  which 
joins  the  Mississippi,  and  thus  it  will  float  swiftly  down  t© 
New  Orleans.  The  voyage,  indeed,  looks  long  on  the  map; 
but  it  is  speedily  accomplished,  even  without  steam,  as  we 
had  opportunities  of  seeing  towards  the, end  of  our  journey. 


UNITED  STATE'S* 


95 


1 have  alluded  just  now  only  to  exports  of  home  produce; 
but  the  same  facilities,  or  nearly  the  same,  are  afforded  for 
the  importation  of  goods  by  the  channels  that  serve  as  fun- 
nels to  pour  out  the  native  riches  of  the  interior  on  the  rest 
of  the  world. 

There  is  yet  another  and  very  important  channel  through 
' which  the  state  alluded  to — Ohio— -as  well  as  the  other  coun- 
tries bordering  on  any  of  the  upper  lakes,  may  probably  find 
it  for  their  advantage  to  send  off  their  exports,  and  to  receive 
back  their  imports.  1 mean  the  Welland  Canal,  cut  across 
the  Isthmus  of  Niagara  in  Upper  Canada,  which,  by  uniting 
Lake  Erie  with  Lake  Ontario,  affords  a communication  be- 
tween the  western  lakes  and  the  sea,  either  through  the  ri- 
ver St.  Lawrence,  or  by  the  Oswego  Canal  to  Syracuse,  and 
‘hence  by  the  Grand  Canal  to  the  port  of  New  York. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  1827,  we  went  from  Lockport  to  the 
Falls  of  Niagara,  which  infinitely  exceeded  our  anticipations. 
I think  it  right  to  begin  with  this  explicit  statement,  because 
1 do  not  remember  in  any  instance  in  America,  or  in  Eng- 
land, when  this  subject  was  broached,  that  the  first  question 
has  not  been,  “ Did  the  Falls  answer  your  expectations?” 

The  best  answer  on  this  subject  I remember  to  have  heard 
of,  was  made  by  a gentleman  who  had  just  been  at  Niagara,  and 
on  his  return  was  appealed  to  by  a party  he  met  on  the  way 
going  to  the  Falls,  who  naturally  asked  him  if  he  thought  they 
would  be  disappointed.  Why,  no.,”  said  he;  <e  not  unless 
you  expect  to  witness  the  sea  coming  down  from  the  moon!” 

On  our  way  to  the  Falls  we  had  one  view,  and  that  merely 
a glimpse,  of  Lake  Ontario,  through  a wide  opening  in  the 
trees,  on  the  top  of  a rising  ground.  That  enormous  sheet 
of  water,  which  is  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles  long,  had 
none  of  those  appearances  of  a lake,  familiar  as  such  to  our 
eyes.,  I was  prepared  to  expect  something  like  the  sea,  but 
was  surprised,  though  I don’t  know  very  well  wtrf,  by  dis- 
covering it  to  be  so  precisely  similar  to  the  ocean.  It  had 
the  same  deep  blue  tint,  and  possessed  all  the  appearance  ol 
boundless  extent.  Between  the  spot  wrhere  we  stood,  and 
the  south-western  margin  of  the  lake,  there  lay  a belt  of  flat 
country,  eight  or  ten  miles  in  width,  matted  thickly  with  the 


90 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


untouched  forest,  and  nearly  as  striking  as  the  grand  lake 
itself.  This  wooded  ground  was  quite  smooth,  nearly  hori- 
zontal, and  had  probably  in  ancient  times  formed  the  bottom 
of  the  lake,  when  the  ridge  before  spoken  of  was  the  beach. 
In  casting  the  eye  over  this  vast  extent  of  forest,  not  the 
slightest  inequality  of  surface  could  be  distinguished.  The 
foliage,  indeed,  appeared  to  cling  to  the  ground  like  a rich, 
mottled  sort  of  dress,  or  carpet. 

The  river  Niagara  which  flows  from  Lake  Erie  into  Lake 
Ontario,  is  unlike  any  other  river  that  I know  of.  It  is  a 
full-grown  stream  at  the  first  moment  of  its  existence,  and 
is  no  larger  at  is  mouth  than  at  its  source.  Its  whole  length 
is  about  thirty-two  miles,  one-half  of  which  is  above  the 
Falls,  and  the  other  half  lies  between  them  and  Lake  Onta- 
rio. During  the  first  part  of  its  course,  or  that  above  the 
tremendous  scene  alluded  to,  this  celebrated  river  slips  qui- 
etly along  out  of  Lake  Erie,  nearly  at  the  level  of  the  sur- 
rounding flat  country.  So  nearly  so,  indeed,  that  if  by  any 
of  those  chances  which  swell  other  rivers,  but  have  no  effect 
here,  we  could  suppose  the  Niagara  to  rise  perpendicularly 
eight  or  ten  feet,  the  adjacent  portion  of  Upper  Canada  on 
the  west,  and  of  the  State  of  New  York  on  the  east,  would 
be  laid  under  water. 

After  the  river  passes  over  the  falls,  however,  its  charac- 
ter is  immediately  and  completely  changed.  It  then  runs 
furiously  along  the  bottom  of  a deep,  wall-sided  valley,  or 
huge  trench,  which  seems  to  have  been  cut  into  the  horizon- 
tal strata  of  the  limestone  rock  by  the  continued  action  of  the 
stream  during  the  lapse  of  ages.  The  cliffs  on  both  sides  are 
at  most  places  nearly  perpendicular,  without  any  interval 
being  left  between  the  cliffs  and  the  river,  or  any  rounding 
of  the  edges  at  the  top^  and  a rent  would  seem  a more  ap- 
propriate term  than  a valley.  Above  the  Falls,  therefore,  that 
is,  between  them  and  Lake  Erie,  it  will  be  understood,  there 
is  literally  no  valley  at  all;  as  the  river  flows  with  a gentle 
current,  and  almost  flush,  as  seamen  call  it,  or  level  with 
the  banks; — while  below  the  cataract,  the  bed  of  the  river 
lies  so  deep  in  the  earth,  that  a stranger,  unprepared  for 
these  peculiarities,  is  not  aware  of  there  being  any  break  at 
all  in  the  ground,  till  he  comes  within  a few  yards  of  the 
very  edge  of  the  precipice.  In  point  of  fact  we  did  drive 
for  some  distance  on  the  American  side  of  the  valley  or  ra- 
vine of  Niagara,  across  which  we  were  looking,  all  the  while, 
at  the  scenery  in  Canada,  without  knowing  it,  and  without 
being  in  the  least  degree  conscious  that  such  a strong  natural 
line  of  demarcation  was  interposed  between  us  and  that  pro 
vince.  . 


UNITED  STATES, 


97 


But  the  river  at  the  place  where  we  first  saw  it,  four  miles 
north  of  the  Falls,  instead  of  slipping  along  quietly,  finds  its 
way  with  great  impetuosity  towards  Lake  Ontario,  over  a 
steep  rocky  bed,  so  as  to  form  one  of  the  most  formidable  of 
those  well-known  torrents  called  Rapids;  this  particular  one 
being  called  par  excellence,  the  Devil’s  Hole. 

Tne  first  glimpse  we  got  of  the  great  Fall,  was  at  the  dis- 
tance of  about  three  miles  below  it,  from  the  right  or  eastern 
bank  of  the  river.  Without  attempting  to  describe  it,  I may 
say  that  I felt  at  the  moment  quite  sure  no  subsequent  ex» 
animation,  whether  near  or  remote,  could  ever  remove,  or 
even  materially  weaken,  the  impression  left  by  this  first 
view. 

From  the  time  we  discovered  the  stream,  and  especially 
after  coming  within  hearing  of  the  cataract,  our  expectations 
were  of  course  wound  up  to  the  highest  pitch.  Most  people, 
1 suppose,  in  the  course  of  their  lives,  must,  on  some  occa- 
sion or  other,  have  found  themselves  on  the  eve  of  a momen- 
tous occurrence;  and  by  recalling  what  they  experienced  at 
that  time,  will  perhaps  understand  better  what  was  felt,  than 
I can  venture  to  describe  it  I remember  myself  experiencing 
something  akin  to  it  at  St.  Helena,  when  waiting  in  Napo- 
leon’s outer  room,  under  the  consciousness  that  the  tread 
which  I heard  was  from  the  foot  of  the  man  who,  a short  while 
before,  had  roved  at  will  over  so  great  a portion  of  the  world; 
but  whose  range  was  now  confined  to  a few  chambers — and 
that  I was  separated  from  this  astonishing  person,  only  by  a 
door,  which  was  just  about  to  open.  So  it  was  with  Niagara. 
I knew  that  at  the  next  turn  of  the  road,  I should  behold  the 
most  splendid  sight  on  earth, — the  outlet  to  those  mighty 
reservoirs,  which  contain,  it  is  said,  one  half  of  the  fresh  wa- 
ter on  the  surface  of  our  planet. 

I remember  very  early  in  life,  having  amused  myself  by 
anticipating  the  pleasure  I was  to  receive  from  travelling, 
and  set  my  heart,  in  a particular  manner,  upon  seeing  a cer- 
tain number  of  remarkable  objects  in  various  corners  of  the 
globe.  Niagara,  of  course,  always  occupied  a principal  sta- 
tion in  this  list,  from  which  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to 
strike  off  the  greater  number.  It  may  look  a little  paradoxi- 
cal perhaps,  but  nevertheless  it  is  quite  true,  that  while  I 
have  very  rarely  been  disappointed,  things  have  in  no  in- 
stance been  found  exactly  what  they  were  looked  for.  The 
reality,  however,  has  generally  much  exceeded  the  expecta- 
tion. Sometimes,  though  not  often,  this  excess  of  perform- 
ance over  promise  has  followed  at  once,  even  when  the  an- 
ticipations haye  been  very  high.  But  in  most  cases  it  has 


98  TRAVELS  IN  THE 

required  time  and  careful  study  to  understand,  as  well  as  to 
feel  how  much  farther  the  actual  presence  of  the  wonders  of 
nature  can  carry  our  thoughts,  than  any  previous  unassisted 
conceptions  can  raise  them. 

On  first  coming  to  a scene  so  stupendous  and  varied  as  that 
of  Niagara,  the  attention  is  embarrassed  by  the  crowd  of  new 
objects;  and  it  always  requires  a certain  degree  of  time  to 
arrange  the  images  which  are  suggested,  before  they  can  be 
duly  appreciated.  Any  new  knowledge,  it  must  be  recol- 
lected, of  whatever  kind,  in  order  to  be  useful,  requires  to  be 
combined  with  what  we  have  previously  gained,  not  for  the 
idle  purposes  of  drawing  offensive  comparisons — its  too  fre- 
quent application— but  with  a view  to  the  purification  of  our 
own  thoughts,  and  the  expulsion  of  errors,  and  narrowing 
prejudices,  which  light  upon  us  with  the  quietness  of  thistle 
down,  but  cling  like  burs,  go  where  we  will,  or  see  what 
we  may. 

In  our  ordinary  progress  through  the  world,  it  may  be  re- 
marked, we  acquire  new  ideas  so  gradually,  and  allow  them 
to  mix  with  the  old  ones  so  silently,  that  we  are  often  un- 
conscious of  the  change,  and  find  it  difficult  to  trace  the 
steps,  by  which  the  transition  has  been  effected,  from  a worse 
to  a better  informed  state  of  mind.  It  is  quite  otherwise, 
however,  when  we  are  brought  suddenly  up  to  such  an  ex- 
tensive combination  of  new  circumstances  as  we  find  crowded 
together  at  Niagara,  for  example,  or  at  Teneriffe,  or  at  Can- 
ton. It  then  becomes  absolutely  necessary  to  the  right  ap- 
plication of  this  deluge  of  new  facts,  that  we  should  make 
ourselves  familiar  with  them  by  repeated  and  leisurely  ob- 
servation; and  by  teaching  us  how  to  disentangle  one  cir- 
cumstance in  the  picture  from  another,  allow  each  to  take 
its  proper  place  in  our  minds,  side  by  side,  or  to  amalgamate 
with  the  results  of  previous  experience. 

If  this  process  be  necessary  in  the  case  of  a person  who 
has  actually  reached  the  presence  of  such  objects,  it  will  ea- 
sily be  seen  how  impossible  it  must  be  for  him  to  describe, 
to  the  satisfaction  of  others,  those  things  which,  with  all  his 
local  advantages,  it  costs  him  a long  while  to  comprehend, 
or  to  make  any  proper  use  of. 

Even  on  the  spot,  it  is  probable  that  the  observer  himself 
takes  correct  notice  of  a small  part  only  of  the  objects  pre- 
sented to  his  view.  Those,  however,  which  he  does  remark, 
straightway  suggest  images  in  his  mind,  suitable  to  his  own 
particular  character,  and  of  course  essentially  modified  by 
the  peculiar  circumstances  of  his  past  life.  Now,  if  we  sup- 
pose it  possible  that  he  could  describe,  with  what  is  called. 


UNITED  STATES, 


99 


perfect  or  graphic  fidelity,  both  the  facts  themselves  which 
strike  his  senses,  and  the  ideas  which  arise  in  his  mind  from 
a contemplation  of  them,  the  chances  are  still  infinitely 
against  these  recorded  conceptions  being  found  suitable  to 
the  minds  of  his  different  readers.  At  the  very  best,  the 
ideas  suggested  to  others  by  his  descriptions,  must  inevitably 
be  feeble  and  incomplete  in  comparison  with  his  own.  For, 
it  must  always  be  remembered  that  his  impressions  are  not 
produced  by  the  observation  of  a series  of  details,  considered 
one  after  another, — the  only  method  in  which  a reader  can 
view  them,— but  are  stamped  upon  his  mind  and  feelings  at 
the  moment,  by  the  whole  in  combination.  The  process  of 
reading  a description,  in  short,  is  like  that  of  taking  a teles- 
cope to  pieces,  and  looking  at  the  distant  object  through  each 
separate  lens,— instead  of  making  them  all  bear  upon  one 
another  by  appropriate  adjustments  in  the  tube. 

There  is  absolutely  no  remedy  for  this  but  a journey  to 
the  place,  and  the  superior  enjoyment  of  the  traveller  on 
such  occasions  is  the  reward  which  he  gathers  for  the  priva- 
tions of  the  road.  Nevertheless,  this  laborious  experiment 
will  not  always  answer ; for  many  persons,  even  when  look- 
ing at  these  falls,  are  as  much  disappointed  as  the  man  who 
expected  to  understand  a book  by  putting  on  spectacles, 
though  he  had  never  learnt  to  read. 

The  common-place  maxim,  therefore,  so  frequently  rung 
in  the  ears  of  travellers,  not  to  attempt  what  is  called  de- 
scription, but  to  tell  what  their  own  genuine  feelings  are 
upon  these  occasions,  must  often  fail  to  produce  any  effect, 
purely  from  the  absence  of  that  kindred  sympathy,  which  no 
writer  can  or  ought  to  suppose  extends,  in  his  own  case,  be- 
yond the  circle  of  friends  to  whom  his  habits  of  thinking 
are  well  known.  Even  if  he  could  reckon  upon  a larger  au- 
dience who  should  understand  him,  the  probability  is,  he 
would  not  advance  his  object  much. 

The  task  of  description,  therefore,  as  a substitute  for  tra» 
veiling,  is  quite  hopeless j for  it  appears  there  is  an  utter  im- 
possibility of  bringing  the  leading  circumstances  with  suffi- 
cient correctness  of  drawing,  and  in  a body,  before  the  ima- 
gination of  the  reader.  And  if  the  actual  observer  could, 
by  any  art,  accomplish  this,  still  he  would  find  it  impossible 
to  impart  an  adequate  portion  of  those  remote  images,  and 
of  those  vague  and  boundless  associations  with  other  scenes 
of  his  past  travels,  to  which,  of  course,  no  words  can  do  jus- 
tice, but  which  form  the  bond  of  union  in  all  cases  among 
his  thoughts,  and  often  contain,  in  themselves— almost  with- 
out being  seen— a great  part  of  the  sum  and  substance  of  his 


100  TRAVELS  IN  THE 

pleasure.  In  such  a harvest  of  curiosity,  therefore,  the  pil* 
grim  has  for  his  pains  the  advantage  of  reaping  the  whole 
crop ; while  those  who  receive  his  information  at  second 
hand  on  his  return,  must  be  content  with  such  gleanings  as 
may  drop  from  his  stores  as  samples  of  the  fertility  of  the 
distant  land. 

I have  been  led  by  the  superior  interest  and  importance 
of  Niagara  to  apply  these  observations  chiefly  to  that  won- 
derful scene;  but  am  of  opinion  that  they  might  apply  with 
equal  force  to  most  other  circumstances  which  rise  up  in 
every  man’s  path  who  goes  from  home.  All  he  can  hope  to 
do,  therefore,  I fear,  is  to  sketch  with  fidelity  the  outlines 
of  what  he  sees,  and  leave  his  drawings  to  be  filled  up  by 
the  various  dispositions,  and  the  different  degrees  of  know- 
ledge, of  his  readers;  each  one  being  left  to  colour  the  pic- 
ture according  to  his  own  taste  or  fancy. 

It  is  curious  to  see  with  how  much  deeper,  at  all  events 
more  engrossing  interest,  we  attend  to  our  own  private,  do- 
mestic concerns,  than  to  the  grandest  spectacles  which  the 
world  presents.  After  reaching  the  Falls,  we  had  still 
enough  of  daylight  to  take  a hasty  view  of  them  before  going 
to  bed;  and  whether  it  was  owing  to  the  jolting  of  the  rough- 
est of  rough  roads,  or  to  the  fatigue  of  over-excited  admi- 
ration, I do  not  know,  but  I soon  dropped  into  a profound 
sleep,  in  spite  of  all  the  roaring  close  at  hand.  About  2 
o’clock  in  the  morning,  while  I was  dreaming  of  one  parti- 
cular part  of  the  Fall,  called  the  Horse  Shoe,  which  had 
struck  me  as  being  more  peculiarly  solemn  than  all  the  rest 
put  together,  I was  awakened  by  a feeble  cry  from  my  little 
girl,  who  seemed  to  me,  by  some  strange  confusion,  from 
which  I could  not  disentangle  her,  to  be  struggling  with  the 
torrent.  I started  up  in  horror,  but  found  that  nothing  more 
serious  had  occurred  than  the  oversetting  of  the  lamp.  The 
darkness,  added  to  the  unusual  rumbling  noise  of  the  water- 
fall alarmed  the  child  to  such  a degree,  that  I could  by  no 
means  sooth  her,  and  I set  off  in  quest  of  a light.  In  groping 
along  the  passages,  I came  accidentally  to  an  open  window 
in  the  back  part  of  the  house,  where  my  ear  was  arrested  by 
the  loud  splashing  noise  of  the  rapids  above  the  Falls,  dash- 
ing past,  immediately  under  the  verandah.  The  deep  sound 
of  the  more  distant  cascade  was  also  heard,  far  louder,  and 
quite  different  in  kind  from  that  of  the  rapids.  For  the  first 
time  I became  conscious  of  the  full  magnificence  of  the  scene. 

The  night  was  very  dark,  though  the  stars  were  out,  twin- 
kling and  flashing  over  the  cataract;  and  there  rose  a damp, 
earthy  smell  from  the  ground,  as  if  the  dew  had  been  settling 


UNITED  STATES. 


101 


heavily  upon  it:  or  perhaps  it  might  be  the  spray  from  the 
Falls."  There  was  not  the  slightest  breath  of  wind  to  shake 
the  drops  from  the  leaves,  and  I stood  for  some  time  endea- 
vouring to  recollect  what  I had  met  with  before,  which  re- 
sembled this.  The  hollow  sound  of  the  surf  at  Madras  was 
at  length  brought  to  my  thoughts,  as  the  nearest  thing;  to  it. 

Quite  forgetting  my  errand,  I allowed  myself  to  be  carried 
away  to  the  other  side  of  the  globe,  in  a mysterious  sort  of 
half-sleeping,  half-waking,  but  very  delightful  reverie-— when, 
all  at  once,  a fresh  cry  from  the  impatient  young  traveller 
made  me  sensible  how  much  the  .sound  of  her  little  voice, 
properly  pitched,  was  an  overmatch  even  for  the  thunders  of 
Niagara. 

The  Falls  are  divided  into  two  parts  by  Goat  Island,  on 
which  we  passed  the  greater  part  of  the  next  day,  sketching 
With  the  camera,  and  straining  our  eyes  till  the  sight  became 
almost  painful. 

We  walked  round  the  island  several  times  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  and  though  it  affords  a great  variety  of  admirable 
views  of  the  Falls,  and  also  of  the  rapids,  both  on  the  Ame- 
rican and  on  the  English  sides  of  the  river,  we  always  found 
ourselves  drawn  back  irresistibly  to  the  Great  Horse  Shoe, 
where  the  largest  portion  of  the  stream  passes  over  a concave 
edge,  and  where,  from  its  depth,  I suppose,  it  acquires  a 
deep  green  colour,  seen  at  no  other  part  of  the  cascade;  al 
most  all  the  rest  being  nearly  snow-white. 

In  hunting  for  similes  to  describe  what  we  saw  and  heard, 
we  were  quite  agreed  that  the  sound  of  the  Falls  most  nearly 
resembles  that  of  a grist  mill,  of  large  dimensions.  There 
is  precisely  the  same  incessant,  rumbling,  deep,  monotonous 
sound,  accompanied  by  the  tremour  which  is  observable  in  a 
building  where  many  pairs  of  millstones  are  at  work.  This 
tremulous  effect  extends  to  the  distance  of  several  hundred 
yards  from  the  river;  but  is  most  conspicuous  on  Goat  Island, 
which  stands  in  the  centre  between  the  two  Falls. 

The  noise  of  the  rapids  is  also  loud,  but  much  sharper;  and 
varies  a good  deal  with  the  situation  of  the  listener.  We 
were  walking  one  day  along  a path  in  the  woods  on  the  is- 
land, at  some  distance  from  the  great  cataract,  and  there,  it 
struck  me,  the  sound  of  the  rapids  resembled  not  a little  the 
noise  caused  by  a heavy  shower  of  rain  on  the  leaves  of  a 
forest,  in  a calm. 

The  scenery  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Niagara  has,  in  it 
self,  little  or  no  interest,  and  has  been  rendered  still  less  at 
tractive  by  the  erection  of  hotels,  paper  manufactories*  saw- 
mills, and  numerous  other  raw,  staring,  wooden  edifices, 

Vol.  i.  10 


102 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


Perhaps  it  is  quite  as  well  that  it  should  be  so;  because  any 
scenery  which  should  be  in  keeping  with  the  grand  object 
which  gives  its  character  to  this  wonderful  spot,  would,  in 
all  probability,  diminish  the  effect  produced  by  its  standing 
entirely  on  its  own  merits.  On  this  principle,  I remember 
being  made  sensible,  when  looking  at  the  temples  of  Paestum, 
how  much  the  effect  was  heightened  by  their  being  placed  on 
a plain,  far  from  trees,  mountains,  or  houses. 

It  has  been  said,  that  there  is  always  something  about 
a bridge  which  interests,  more -or  less.  If  it  be  not  pictur- 
esque in  itself,  it  may  be  curious  in  its  structure;  or  high; 
or  long;  or  may  possess  something  or  other  to  attract  notice. 
At  all  events,  the  bridge  which  connects  the  main  American 
shore  with  Goat  Island  is  one  of  the  most  singular  pieces  of 
engineering  in  the  world,  and  shows,  not  only  much  skill 
and  ingenuity,  but  boldness  of  thought  in  its  projector,  the 
owner  of  the  island.  It  is  between  six  and  seven  hundred 
feet  in  length,  and  is  thrown  across  one  of  the  worst  parts 
of  the  rapids,  not  more  than  fifty  yards  above  the  crest  of 
the  American  Fall.  It  is  made  of  wood,  and  consists  of 
seven  straight  portions;  resting  on  wooden  piers  so  con- 
trived as  to  have  perfect  stability,  although  the  foundation 
on  which  they  rest  is  extremely  unequal.  The  bed  of  the 
river  at  that  place  is  covered  with  rounded  and  angular 
stones,  varying  from  the  size  of  a wheel-barrow  to  that  of  a 
stage-coach,  and  either  lying  side  by  side,  or  piled  in  heaps; 
so  that  while  the  tops  of  some  of  them  reach  within  a foot  or 
two  of  the  surface,  others  lie  at  the  depth  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet.  Along  this  rugged  and  steep  bottom,  the  river  dashes 
in  a torrent  covered  with  breakers  and  foam,  at  the  rate  of 
six  or  seven  miles  an  hour,  making  a noise  not  unlike  that 
of  the  sea  on  a shallow  ledge  of  rocks.  Without  the  assist- 
ance of  drawings,  however,  I fear  it  would  scarcely  be  pos- 
sible to  render  intelligible  any  account  of  this  extraordinary 
work,  which  has  added  much  to  the  interest  of  Niagara,  by 
giving  visiters  the  command  of  many  points  of  view  altoge- 
ther inaccessible  before. 

I had  the  satisfaction  of  walking  over  the  whole  of  Goat 
Island  one  day  with  the  proprietor,  who  seemed  unaffectedly 
desirous  of  rendering  it  an  agreeable  place  of  resort  to  stran- 
gers. He  had  been  recommended,  he  told  me,  by  many  peo- 
ple, to  trim  and  dress  it;  to  clear  away  most  of  the  woods: 
and  by  all  means  to  extirpate  every  one  of  the  crooked  trees. 
I expressed  my  indignation  at  such  a barbarous  set  of  propo- 
sals, and  tried  hard  to  explain  how  repugnant  they  were  to 
all  our  notions  of  taste  in  Europe.  His  ideas,  I was  glad 


UNITED  STATES. 


103 


to  see,  appeared  to  coincide  with  mine;  so  that  this  conver- 
sation may  have  contributed,  in  some  degree,  to  the  salva- 
tion of  the  most  interesting  spot  in  all  America. 

On  his  asking  me  what  1 thought  he  should  do,  I took  the 
liberty  of  advising  him  to  let  nature  alone  as  to  the  trees;  to 
make  a gravel  walk  all  round  the  island,  broad  enough  for 
three  persons  to  walk  abreast;  to  open  little  paths  in  the  di« 
rection  of  the  best  situations  for  seeing  the  Falls,  and  having 
put  down  half  a dozen  commodious  seats  at  the  said  points., 
to  leave  all  the  rest  to  the  choice  of  the  worthy  tourists  them- 
selves. I had  almost  forgotten  to  mention  that  some  one  had 
seriously  urged  him  to  place  a great  tavern  immediately  over 
the  Horse  Shoe  Fall;  but,  for  the  present  at  least,  his  own 
good  taste  revolted  at  a such  a combination  of  the  sublime 
and  the  ridiculous.  I have  little  doubt,  however,  that  this 
descent,  which  we  know  from  high  authority  and  example, 
costs  but  one  step,  will  be  made  in  the  course  of  time. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  we  drove  towards  Lake 
Ontario  for  six  or  seven  miles  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Nia- 
gara, and  then  crossed  over  to  the  Canada  shore  at  Queens  - 
town, and  found  ourselves  once  more  in  his  Majesty’s  domi- 
nions, after,  having  passed  six  weeks  in  the  United  States* 
This  interval,  though  short,  had  been  so  busy,  that  it  ap- 
peared  very  long.  The  effect  I speak  of  may  have  been  in- 
creased, perhaps,  by  the  circumstance  of  the  people  amongst 
whom  we  had  mixed,  all  thinking,  speaking,  acting,  and  feel 
ing  so  very  differently  from  those  of  our  own  country;  with 
just  sufficient  resemblance  in  external  appearance  to  force 
those  comparisons  upon  our  notice,  which,  in  a country  to- 
tally dissimilar  in  language  and  manners,  such  as  France 
or  Spain,  it  would  never  have  occurred  to  us  to  draw.  It 
was  curious,  indeed,  to  observe  how  great  a change  in  many 
of  the  most  essential  particulars  of  national  character,  and 
customs,  and  appearance,  a short  half-mile — a mere  imagina- 
ry geographical  division — -could  make.  The  air  we  breathed 
seemed  different,  the  sky,  the  land,  the  whole  scenery,  ap- 
peared to  be  altered;  and  I must  say,  that  of  all  the  changes 
I have  ever  made  in  a life  of  ceaseless  locomotion,  I have  sel- 
dom been  conscious  of  any  transition  from  one  country  to 
another  more  striking  than  this. 

Close  to  the  spot  where  we  landed  in  Canada,  there  stands 
a monument  to  the  gallant  General  Brock,  who  was  killed 
during  the  battle  of  Queenstown,  in  the  act  of  repelling  an 
invasion  of  the  frontier  by  the  Americans  during  the  late 
war.  At  the  base  of  the  column  we  found  two  men  stand  - 
ing, and  I said  to  one  of  them,  “ I am  sure  you  are  an  En  = 


104 


TRAVELS  IN 


glish  soldier?” — “ I am  a Scotch  one,  sir,”  said  he,  “ which, 
I hope,  is  no  worse.”  I was  the  less  disposed  to  gainsay 
this,  from  detecting  in  my  friend’s  dialect  the  46 patois”  of 
my  native  town,  Edinburgh.  The  view  from  the  top  of  the 
monument  extended  far  over  Lake  Ontario,  and  showed  us 
the  windings  of  the  Niagara,  through  the  low  and  wooded 
country  which  hangs  like  a rich  green  fringe  along  the  south- 
ern skirts  of  that  great  sheet  of  water. 

By  the  time  we  reached  Forsyth’s  Inn,  close  to  the  Falls 
on  the  English  side,  we  had  barely  light  enough  left  to  see 
the  cataract  from  the  balcony  of  our  bedroom — distant  from 
it,  in  a straight  line,  not  a couple  of  hundred  yards.  I can- 
not bring  myself  to  attempt  any  description  of  the  pleasure 
which  we  experienced,  while  thus  sitting  at  ease,  and  con- 
scious of  viewing,  in  sober  reality,  and  at  leisure,  an  object 
with  which  we  had  been  familiar,  in  fancy,  at  least,  all  our 
lives. 

In  description,  the  reader  is  seldom  trusted  by  his  author 
with  any  thing  but  the  most  striking,  or  what  are  called  cha- 
racteristic features.  But  when  he  reaches  the  very  spot,  he 
has  the  satisfaction  of  being  allowed  a sort  of  personal  inti- 
macy with  a thousand  minor  details,  which  no  writer  or 
sketcher  would  have  courage  to  bring  into  his  picture;  and 
which,  indeed,  if  told  in  detail,  might  often  be  deplorably 
tedious,  yet,  when  so  placed  as  to  be  all  seen  at  one  and  the 
same  glance,  contribute  to  fill  the  mind  in  a most  agreeable 
manner. 

We  passed  the  greater  part  of  the  2nd  of  July  in  roving 
about  the  banks,  and  studying  the  Falls  in  as  many  different 
aspects  as  we  could  command.  In  the  course  of  our  inves- 
tigation and  rambles,  we  met  a gentleman  who  had  resided 
for  the  last  thirty-six  years  in  this  neighbourhood — happy 
mortal!  He  told  us  that  the  Great  Horse  Shoe  Fall,  had, 
within  his  memory,  gone  back  forty  or  fifty  yards— -that  is  to 
say,  the  edge,  or  arch  of  the  rock  over  which  the  water 
poured,  had  broken  down  from  time  to  time  to  that  extent. 
This  account  was  corroborated  by  that  of  another  gentleman, 
who  had  been  resident  on  the  spot  for  forty  years. 

As  these  statements  came  from  persons  of  good  authority, 
1 was  led  to  examine  the  geological  circumstances  more  mi- 
nutely; for  I could  not  conceive  it  possible,  that  the  mere 
wearing  of  the  water  could  perform  such  rapid  changes  upon 
hard  lime-stone.  The  explanation  is  very  simple,  however, 
when  the  nature  of  the  different  strata  is  attended  to.  In 
the  first  place,  they  are  laid  exactly  horizontally,  the  top 
stratum  being  a compact  calcareous  rock.  In  the  next  place. 


UPPER  CANADA. 


105 


I observed,  that  in  proportion  as  the  examination  is  carried 
downwards,  the  strata  are  found  to  be  less  and  less  indurated, 
till,  at  the  distance  of  a hundred  feet  from  the  topmost  stra- 
tum, the  rock  turns  to  a sort  of  loose  shale,  which  crumbles 
to  pieces  under  the  touch;  and  is  rapidly  worn  away  by  the 
action  of  the  violent  blasts  of  wind,  rising  out  of  the  pool 
into  which  this  enormous  cascade  is  projected. 

In  process  of  time,  as  the  lower  strata  are  fairly  eaten  or 
worn  away,  the  upper  part  of  the  rock  must  be  left  without 
a foundation.’  But  owing  to  the  tough  nature  of  the  upper 
strata,  they  continue  to  project  a long  way  over  before  they 
break  down.  There  must  come  periods,  however,  every  now 
and  then,  when  the  overhanging  rock,  with  such  an  immense 
load  of  water  on  its  shoulders,  will  give  way,  and  the  crest, 
or  edge,  of  the  Fall  will  recede  a certain  distance.  At  the 
time  of  our  visit,  the  top  of  the  rock,  or  that  over  which  the 
river  was  directed,  overhung  the  base,  according  to  the  rough 
estimate  I made,  between  35  and  40  feet,  thus  forming  a hol- 
low space,  or  cave,  between  the  falling  water  and  the  face 
of  the  rock. 

While  the  above  lines  were  actually  in  the  printer’s  hands, 
my  eye  was  accidently  caught  by  the  following  paragraph  in  a 
newspaper:— 

“ Niagara  Falls.— A letter  from  a gentleman  at  that 
place,  dated  Dec.  30,  1828,  states,  that  on  the  Sunday  even- 
ing preceding,  about  9 o’clock,  two  or  three  successive  shocks 
or  concussions  were  felt,  the  second  of  which  was  accompa- 
nied by  an  unusual  rushing  sound  of  the  waters.  The  next 
morning  it  was  discovered,  that  a large  portion  of  the  rock 
in  the  bed  of  the  river,  at  the  distance  of  about  two-fifths 
from  the  Canada  shore  to  the  extreme  angle  of  the  Horse 
Shoe,  had  broken  off,  and  fallen  into  the  abyss  below.  The 
whole  aspect  of  the  Falls  is  said  to  be  much  changed  by  this 
convulsion.  A course  of  high  winds  for  several  days  pre- 
vious to  its  occurrence,  producing  an  accumulation  of  water 
in  the  river,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  immediate  cause. 
This  gradual  crumbling  away  of  the  rock  over  which  the 
Niagara  is  precipitated,  adds  plausibility  to  the  conjecture, 
that  the  Falls  were  once  as  low  down  as  Lewistown,  and 
have  for  centuries  been  travelling  up  towards  their  present 
position.” 

I visited  on  three  different  occasions  the  extraordinary 
cave  formed  between  the  cascade  and  the  face  of  the  over- 
hanging cliff— first,  on  the  3d  of  July,  out  of  mere  curiosity! 
again  on  the  9th,  to  try  some  experiments  with  the  barome- 
ter$ and  lastly,  on  the  10th,  in  company  with  a friend,  pure- 


106 


TRAVELS  IN 


ly  on  account  of  the  excitement  which  I found  such  a strange 
combination  of  circumstances  produces.  We  reached  a spot 
153  feet  from  the  outside,  or  entrance,  by  the  assistance  of  a 
guide,  who  makes  a handsome  livelihood  by  this  amphibious  < 
pilotage.  There  was  a tolerably  good,  green  sort  of  light 
within  this  singular  cavern;  but  the  wind  blew  us  first  in  one 
direction,  then  in  another,  with  such  alarming  violence,  that 
1 thought  at  first  we  should  be  fairly  carried  off  our  feet, 
and  jerked  into  the  roaring  caldron  beneath.  This  tempest, 
however,  was  not  nearly  so  great  an  inconvenience  as  the 
unceasing  deluges  of  water  driven  against  us.  Fortunately  ■ 
the  direction  of  this  gale  of  wind  was  always  more  or  less 
upwards,  from  the  pool  below,  right  against  the  face  of  the 
cliffs;  were  it  otherwise,  I fancy  it  would  be  impossible  to 
go  behind  the  Falls,  with  any  chance  of  coming  out  again. 
Even  now  there  is  a great  appearance  of  hazard  in  the  ex- 
pedition, though  experience  shows  that  there  is  no  real  dan- 
ger. Indeed  the  guide,  to  re-assure  us,  and  to  prove  the  dif- 
ficulty of  the  descent,  actually  leaped  downwards,  to  the 
distance  of  five  or  six  yards,  from  the  top  of  the  bank  of 
rubbish  at  the  base  of  the  cliff,  along  which  the  path  is  formed.  i 
The  gusts  of  wind  rising  out  of  the  basin  or  pool  below, 
blew  so  violently  against  him  that  he  easily  regained  the 
walk. 

This  enormous  cataract,  in  its  descent,  like  every  other 
cascade,  carries  along  with  it  a quantity  of  air,  which  it 
forces  far  below  the  surface  of  the  water, — an  experiment 
which  any  one  may  try  on  a small  scale  by  pouring  water 
into  a tumbler  from  a height.  The  quantity  of  air  thus  car- 
ried down,  by  so  vast  a river  as  Niagara,  must  be  great,  and 
the  depth  to  which  it  is  driven,  in  all  probability,  considera- 
ble. It  may  also  be  much  condensed  by  the  pressure;  and 
it  will  rise  with  proportionate  violence  both  on  the  -outside 
of  the  cascade,  and  within  the  sheet  or  curtain  which  forms 
the  cataract. 

It  had  long  been  a subject  of  controversy,  I was  told,  whe-  J 
Iher  the  air  in  the  cave  behind  the  Falls  was  condensed  or 
Tariffed;  and  it  was  amusing  to  listen  to  the  conflicting  ar- 
guments on  the  subject.  AH  parties  agreed  that  there  was 
considerable  difficulty  in  breathing;. but  while  some  ascribed 
this  to  a want  of  air,  others  asserted  that  it  arose  from  the 
quantity  being  too  great.  The  truth,  however,  obviously  is, 
that  we  have  too  much  water;  not  too  much  air.  For  I may 
ask,  with  what  comfort  could  any  man  breathe  with  half  a 
dozen  fire-engines  playing  full  in  his  face?  and  positively  the 
effect  of  the  blast  behind  the  Falls  is  just  what  that  awkward 


UPPER  CANADA. 


107 


ceremony  might  be  supposed  to  produce.  The  direction  of 
the  wind  is  first  one  way  and  then  another,  crossing  and 
thwarting,  in  a very  confused  style;  and  flinging  the  water 
sometimes  up,  sometimes  down,  and  often  whirling  it  round 
and  round  like  smoke,  in  curls  or  spirals,  up  to  the  very  top 
of  the  cave,  a hundred  feet  above  our  heads,  to  the  very 
edge  of  the  precipice,  over  which  W'e  could  distinctly  see 
the  river  projected  forwards,  and  just  beginning  to  curve 
downwards.  By  the  way,  I took  notice  that,  exactly  in  pro- 
portion to  the  apparent  thickness  of  the  mass  of  water,  so 
it  continued  united  after  passing  the  brink.  But  I do  not 
think  at  any  part  of  Niagara  the  sheet  of  falling  water  re- 
mains unbroken  for  more  than  twenty  feet,  and  that  only  at 
one  place,  well  known  by  the  name  of  the  Green  Water — • 
the  most  sublime  and  impressive  part  of  the  whole  Fall. 
At  every  other,  the  cascade  assumes  a snowy  whiteness  very 
shortly  after  it  begins  to  descend.  This  appearance  is  aided, 
no  doubt,  by  the  blast  of  wind  which  rises  from  the  pool  on 
the  outside  of  the  sheet;  for  1 observed  that  the  external  sur- 
face of  the  cataract  was  roughened,  or  turned  upwards  in  a 
series  of  frothy  ripples,  caused  either  by  its  friction  against 
the  air  through  which  it  was  passing,  or  more  probably  by 
the  blast  rising  upwards  from  the  pool. 

I remarked  another  singular  phenomenon,  which  I have 
not  happened  to  hear  mentioned  before,  but  which  is  evi- 
dently connected  with  this  branch  of  the  subject.  A num- 
ber of  small,  sharp-pointed  cones  of  water  are  projected  up- 
wards from  the  pool,  on  the  outside  of  the  Fall,  sometimes 
to  the  height  of  a hundred  and  twenty  feet.  They  resemble  in 
form  some  comets  of  which  I have  seen  drawings.  Their 
point,  or  apex,  which  is  always  turned  upwards,  is  quite 
sharp,  and  not  larger,  I should  say,  than  a man’s  fingers  and 
thumb,  brought  as  nearly  to  a point  as  possible.  The  coni- 
cal tails  which  stream  from  these  watery  meteors  may  vary 
from  one  or  two  yards  to  ten  or  twelve,  and  are  spread  out 
on  all  sides  in  a very  curious  manner. 

The  lower  part  of  the  Fall,  it  must  be  observed,  is  so  con- 
stantly hidden  from  the  view  by  a thick  rolling  cloud  of 
spray,  that  during  ten  days  I never  succeeded  once  in  get- 
ting a glimpse  of  the  bottom  of  the  falling  sheet;  nor  do  I 
believe  it  is  ever  seen.  Out  of  this  cloud,  which  waves  back- 
wards and  forwards,  and  rises  at  times  to  the  height  of  many 
hundreds  of  feet  above  the  Falls,  these  singular  cones,  or 
comets,  are  seen  at  all  times  jumping  up.  The  altitude  to 
which  they  are  projected,  I estimated  at  about  thirty  feet 
below  the  top;  which  inference  I was  led  to  by  means  of  the 


108 


TRAVEXS IN 


sketches  made  with  the  camera  lucida.  I watched  my  op- 
portunity, and  made  dots  at  the  points  reached  by  the  high- 
est of  these  curious  projectiles.  The  whole  height  being 
between  150  and  160  feet,  the  perpendicular  elevation  to 
which  these  jets  of  water  are  thrown  cannot,  therefore,  be 
less  than  110  or  120  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  pool. 

The  controversy  respecting  the  elasticity  of  the  air  be- 
hind the  Fall,  was  soon  settled.  I carried  with  me  a baro- 
meter made  expressly  with  a view  to  this  experiment.  It 
was  of  the  most  delicate  kind,  and  furnished  with  two  con- 
trivances absolutely  indispensable  to  the  accuracy  of  expe- 
riments made  under  such  circumstances.  The  first  of  these 
was  a circular  spirit-level  placed  on  the  top  of  the  frame 
holding  the  tube,  by  which  the  perpendicularity  of  the  in- 
strument was  ascertained;  and  secondly,  an  arrangement  of 
screws  near  the  point  of  support,  by  which  the  tube,  when 
duly  adjusted,  could  be  secured  firmly  in  its  place.  By  the 
help  of  these  two  inventions  of  Mr.  Adie  of  Edinburgh,  this 
instrument  can  be  used  with  confidence,  although  exposed 
to  such  furious  storms  of  wind  and  rain,  as  that  I have  just 
been  describing.  These  simple  additions  to  the  barometer, 
it  may  be  mentioned,  give  great  facility  to  observations  made 
for  the  determination  of  the  height  of  mountains,  as  it  se- 
cures the  correct  position  of  the  instrument,  however  windy 
the  station  may  be. 

The  mercury  stood,  at  two  stations  on  the  outside,  at  29. 

68.  The  instrument  was  then  carried  behind  the  Falls  and 
placed-near  the  Termination  rock,  as  an  impassable  angle  of 
the  cliff  is  called,  which  lies  at  the  distance  of  153  feet  from 
the  entrance,  measuring  from  the  Canadian  or  western  ex- 
tremity of  the  Great  ttorse  Shoe  Fall.  It  now  stood  at 
about  29.  72.  The  thermometer  in  both  cases  being  at  70. 
of  Fahrenheit.  The  inner  station  was  probably  ten  or  twelve 
feet  lower  than  the  external  one;  and  it  will  be  easily  un- 
derstood, that  in  such  a situation,  with  a torrent  of  water 
pouring  over  the  instrument  and  the  observer,  and  hard 
squalls  or  gusts  of  wind  threatening  to  whisk  the  whole 
party  into  the  abyss,  there  could  be  no  great  nicety  of  read- 
ings'! I observed,  that  within  the  Fall,  the  mercury  vibrated 
in  the  tube  about  four  hundredths  of  an  inch,  and  was  ne- 
ver perfectly  steady;  the  highest  and  lowest  points  were 
therefore  observed  by  the  eye,  and  the  mean  recorded. 
During  the  external  observations  there  was  only  a slighttre- 
mor  visible  on  the  surface  of  the  column.  In  order  to  pre- 
vent mistakes,  I repeated  the  experiment  at  another  spot, 
about  120  feet  within  the  entrance,  when  the  mercury  stood  j 


UPPER  CANADA, 


109 


at  about  29.  74.  though  still  vibrating  several  hundredths  of 
an  inch.  Upon  the  whole,  then,  considering  that  the  inner 
stations  were  lower  than  the  external  one,  the  small  diffe- 
rence between  the  external  and  the  internal  readings  may  be 
ascribed  to  errors  in  observation,  and  not  to  any  difference 
in  the  degree  of  elasticity  in  the  air  without  and  within  the 
sheet  of  falling  water. 

Though  I was  only  half  an  hour  behind  the  Fall,  I came 
out  much  exhausted,  partly  with  the  bodily  exertion  of  main- 
taining a secure  footing  while  exposed  to  such  buffeting  and 
drenching,  and  partly,  I should  suppose,  from  the  interest 
belonging  to  this  scene,  which  certainly  exceeds  any  thing  I 
ever  witnessed  before.  All  parts  of  Niagara,  indeed,  are 
on  a scale  which  baffles  every  attempt  of  the  imagination  to 
paint,  and  it  were  ridiculous,  therefore,  to  think  of  describing 
it.  The  ordinary  materials  of  description,  I mean  analogy, 
and  direct  comparison  with  things  which  are  more  accessible, 
fail  entirely  in  the  case  of  that  amazing  cataract,  which  is 
altogether  unique. 

Yet  a great  deal,  I am  certain,  might  be  done  by  a well- 
executed  panorama,  drawn  from  below,  at  a station  near  the 
j projecting  angle  of  the  rock  which  must  be  passed,  after 
leaving  the  bottom  of  the  ladder,  on  the  way  to  the  cave  I 
have  been  speaking  about.  An  artist,  well  versed  in  this 
peculiar  sort  of  painting,  might  produce  a picture  which 
would  probably  distance  every  thing  else  of  the  kind.  He 
must  not,  however,  trust  to  the  sketches  of  others,  but  go  to 
the  Falls  himself^  and  there  become  acquainted  with  those 
feelings  which  the  actual  presence  of  that  stupendous  scene 
j is  capable  of  inspiring.  For  without  some  infusion  of  these 
I local  sentiments  into  his  painting,  were  it  ever  so  correct  in 
j outline,  the  result  would  be  nothing  but  a large  picture  of  a 
j!  large  waterfall,  instead  of  the  noblest,  and  perhaps  the  most 
I popular  of  those  singular  works  of  art,  which,  by  a species 
of  magic,  transport  so  many  distant  regions  to  our  very 
jj  doors. 

||  On  the  7th  of  July,  by  way  of  relief  from  the  absorbing  in- 
i' terest  of  the  Falls,  we  accepted  an  invitation  to  a country 
j house  in  the  neighbourhood,  within  hearing,  but  not  in  sight 
j of,  the  object  which  had  occupied  our  thoughts  for  the  last 
week. 

Our  host,  some  years  before,  with  the  prophetic  eye  of 
jj  taste,  as  it  has  been  elegantly  called,  had  selected  a certain 
||  spot  in  the  midst  of  the  wilderness,  which  he  conceived,  from 
the  nature  of  the  ground,  the  description  of  trees  which  grew 
upon  it,  and  the  extent  of  view  which  it  commanded,  might 


no 


TRAVELS  IN 


be  converted,  with  little  trouble,  from  its  wild  state  into  a 
beautiful  park, — such  as  must  have  cost,  in  the  ordinary  pro- 
cess of  old  countries,  at  least  one  century,  if  not  two,  to  bring  -i 
it  to  any  thing  like  the  maturity  which  he  found  on  the  spot,  j 
almost  ready  to  his  hand. 

The  soil  appeared  to  be  peculiarly  favourable  to  forest  trees,  ! 
since  it  was  covered,  but  not  too  thickly,  with  venerable  oaks,  j 
which,  from  having  had  room  to  spread  their  arms — a rare  oc- 
currence in  that  country — had  grown  to  a great  size.  His 
idea  was  to  remove  those  trees  only  which  encumbered  the 
ground,  near  the  spot  selected  as  the  site  of  his  house,  or  in- 
terfered with  his  view  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  the  distant  high 
grounds  of  Upper  Canada. 

To  work  he  went;  cleared  out  a space  of  ground  for  the 
house,  smoothed  his  lawn,  completed  his  garden,  laid  down 
his  gravel  walks-— regulating  every  thing  with  reference  to  j 
the  magnificent  grove  in  front  of  the  house,  the  principal  fea- 
ture in  his  foreground,  which  required  nothing  but  some  par- 
tial thinnings  amongst  the  oaks.  Of  course  care  was  taken  j 
to  mark,  in  a particular  manner,  all  those  sacred  trees,  the  ; 
growth  probably  of  many  ages,  which  were  on  no  account  to  j 
be  touched;  while  those  intended  for  the  axe  were  blazed,  as  j 
it  is  called,  in  the  usual  manner. 

On  a particular  day  appropriated  to  these  thinning  opera- 
tions, the  proprietor  was  called  away  by  urgent  business;  but  j 
before  leaving  the  ground,  he  gave  orders  for  the  condemned  j 
trees  to  be  removed  in  his  absence.  The  workmen,  however,  1 
who,  from  their  infancy,  had  known  nothing  about  trees,  ex-  j 
cept  that  they  ought  to  be  cut  down  as  fast  as  possible,  deci-  \ 
ded,  in  their  precious  wisdom,  that  it  must  surely  be  the  j 
blazed  trees  which  were  meant  to  be  preserved.  The  first 
thing,  accordingly,  that  struck  the  master’s  eye  on  his  return, 
was  the  whole  of  his  noble  grove  lying  fiat  on  the  ground,  ^ 
while  only  a dozen  or  two  of  scraggy  oaks,  pines,  and  hem- 
locks, destined  for  the  fire,  wrere  left  standing  to  tell  the  tale ! 

On  Sunday  night,  the  8th  of  July,  we  returned  to  the  j 
Falls,  and  walked  down  to  the  table  rock  to  view  them  by  j 
moonlight.  Our  expectations,  as  may  be  supposed,  were  high,  j 
but  the  sight  was  even  more  impressive  than  we  had  expect-  J 
ed.  It  possessed,  it  is  true,  what  may  be  called  a more  so-  \ 
ber  kind  of  interest  than  that  belonging  to  the  wild  scene  be- 
hind  the  sheet  of  water  above  described.  I may  mention  j 
one  curious  effect:  It  seemed  to  the  imagination  not  impos-  I 
sible  that  the  Fall  might  swell  up  and  grasp  us  in  it&  vortex.  1 
The  actual  presence  of  any  very  powerful  moving  object,  is  j 
often  more  or  less  remotely  connected  with  a feeling  that  its  | 


UPMIK  CANADA. 


Ill 


direction  may  be  changed ; and  when  the  slightest  variation 
would  evidently  prove  fatal,  a feeling  of  awe  is  easily  ex- 
cited. At  all  events,  as  I gazed  upon  the  cataract,  it  more 
than  once  appeared  to  increase  in  its  volume,  and  to  be  acce- 
lerated in  its  velocity,  till  my  heated  fancy  became  strained, 
alarmed,  and  so  much  over-crowded  with  new  and  old  images, 
—all  exaggerated,-— that  in  spite  of  the  conviction  that  the 
whole  was  nonsense,  I felt  obliged  to  draw  back  from  the 
edge  of  the  rock:  and  it  required  a little  reflection,  and  some 
resolution,  to  advance  again  to  the  brink. 

During  the  delightful  period  that  the  Falls  formed  our 
head-quarters,  we  made  various  excursions  to  several  inte- 
resting objects  in  the  neighbourhood.  Of  these,  the  most 
amusing  were,  a trip  to  Buffalo,  a flourishing  American  town 
at  the  eastern  end  of  Lake  Erie,  where  the  great  New  York 
Canal  commences,— and  a visit  to  the  Welland  Canal,  which 
joins  Lake  Erie  with  Lake  Ontario. 

It  is  amusing  to  look  back,  after  a journey  is  over,  at  those 
objects  which  at  the  time  excited  the  most  vivid  interest,  but 
which  have  faded  from  the  recollections  so  completely,  that 
any  description  of  them  from  memory  would  be  feeble  and 
unsatisfactory,  while  a literal  transcript  of  the  notes  written 
on  the  spot  would  be  no  less  inaccurate  from  their  extrava- 
gance and  high  colouring.  The  mere  proximity  of  some 
things,  gives  them  an  importance  which  we  are  apt  to  mis- 
take  for  a permanent  and  intrinsic  value;  whereas  their  real 
consequence  may  not  extend  beyond  their  own  small  circum- 
ference. Even  on  the  spot,  it  is  frequently  no  easy  job  for 
the  stranger  to  decide  which  of  a variety  of  objects  he  shall 
devote  most  of  his  attention  to.  And  his  perplexity  is  fre- 
quently increased  by  the  local  authorities,  who,  with  the  best 
dispositions  to  oblige  him,  have  generally  some  pet  lion  of 
their  own,  to  which  they  are  anxious  to  call  his  exclusive  at- 
tention. Much  precious  time  is  thus  frequently  wasted  on 
matters  of  the  merest  insignificance,  while  others  of  para- 
mount importance  are  left  unexamined,  and  very  often  un- 
known, till  it  be  too  late. 

In  Italy,  or  any  other  old  country,  every  picture,  statue, 
or  ruin,  worthy  of  notice,  is  recorded  and  brought  to  the 
traveller’s  notice  in  spite  of  him;  and,  under  the  directions 
of  his  cicerone,  he  soon  learns  what  he  is  to  admire,  and 
what  he  is  to  abuse.  In  America,  however,  there  are  none 
of  these  delightful  aids  to  the  taste  and  judgment.  There, 
every  thing  is  new,  and  nothing  arranged,  nor  even  any  ap- 
proach to  classification  attempted;  and,  consequently,  the 
wretched  explorer’s  body  and  soul  are  literally  worn  out  by 


112 


TRAVELS  IN 


the  ceaseless  importunities  of  the  inhabitants.  With  the 
kindest  possible  dispositions  towards  their  guest,  the  Ameri- 
cans are  never  satisfied  that  he  has  seen  any  thing  unless  | 
he  has  seen  every  thing;  and  if  he  leaves  a single  ‘ factory5  j 
unexamined,  though  he  has  seen  fifty  similar,  or  if  he  pass 
by  any  one  institution  in  a city — a college,  a hospital,  or  a 
jail — it  is  at  once  set  forth  that  he  lias  seen  nothing  at  all. 

“ He  has  been  in  too  great  a hurry,55  say  they;  “ he  has  not 
done  justice  to  our  country — he  has  preconceived  notions  in 
his  head — he  has  not  studied  all  our  authorities — he  has  ar-  1 
rived  at  a most  unfortunate  season,55  and  so  forth.  In  short, 
it  is  soon  settled  that  the  unfortunate  man  knows  nothing  at 
all  of  his  own  professed  business;  which,  supposing  him  to 
be  competent  in  other  respects,  seems  not  very  fair. 

In  travelling,  or  in  reading,  or  in  any  other  occupation,  it 
is  surely  obvious  that  the  only  method  of  arriving  at  correct 
and  useful,  or  even  merely  agreeable  results,  is  to  act  upon 
some  system  of  generalization  and  method  in  our  researches; 
to  seek  out,  not  for  all,  but  a few  of  those  books,  men,  and 
things,  which  shall  give  us,  as  far  as  may  be  required,  com- 
prehensive views  of  the  whole  subject  we  are  investigating. 
The  information  to  be  drawn  from  these  sources  ought  not 
only  to  be  accurate,  but  characteristic;  and  in  order  to  be 
useful,  the  facts  must  not  be  too  minute,  or  too  numerous; 
otherwise,  they  become  trivial,  serve  only  to  distract  the  at- 
tention, and  finally,  teach  more  error  than  truth. 

The  art,  or  craft,  of  travelling,  like  other  arts,  can  be  ac- 
quired by  practice  alone.  And,  accordingly,  in  all  the  va- 
rious countries  I have  visited  before  going  to  America,  I ne- 
ver heard  it  doubted,  that  a person  of  moderate  experience,  - 
and  having  no  object  but  truth  in  view,  who,  with  good  op- 
portunities within  his  reach,  should  devote  his  attention  for 
upwards  of  a year,  exclusively  to  one  country,  might  gain 
a pretty  competent  knowledge  of  it,  though  he  did  not  see 
every  single  institution,  and  every  single  person  in  it. 

In  America,  however,  this  point  is  ruled  quite  otherwise; 
and  unless  a man  will  consent  to  shut  up  his  own  eyes,  and 
see  all  things  through  those  of  the  natives,  or  consent  to  re-  i 
main  long  enough  to  become  a thorough-bred  American  in  , 
feeling  as  well  as  in  knowledge,  and  gain  new  optics  accord- 
ingly— though  how  long  that  would  require  I cannot  say — ■ 
he  has  no  chance  of  having  it  admitted,  in  that  country  at 
least,  that  he  knows  any  thing  of  the  subject  he  has  under- 
taken to  handle.  The  truth  of  this  any  foreigner  who  has 
visited  America  must  have  been  made  to  feel  in  every  cor- 
ner of  the  country,  and  during  every  hour  of  his  stay. 


UPPER  CANADA, 


113 


In  the  outset  of  my  journey,  this  unreasonable  and  dis- 
trustful propensity  on  the  part  of  the  people,  perplexed  and 
grieved  me  very  much;  and  it  was  not  till  I nad  gone  half 
through  the  United  States,  and  become — in  my  own  opinion 
at  least— tolerably  master  of  the  subject,  that  I got  hold  of 
any  thing  like  a satisfactory  explanation  of  these  singular 
anomalies  in  the  national  character. 

The  Canadians,  however,  I was  delighted  to  find,  were 
not  by  any  means  so  exacting,  or,  in  fact,  more  so  than  the 
inhabitants  of  European  countries.  They  are  as  kind  to 
their  guests,  however,  as  the  Americans,  and  without  insist- 
ing upon  having  every  thing  viewed  couleur  de  rose,  are  con- 
tent to  believe  that  strangers  passing  through  their  country 
will  take  a fair  view  of  things;  and  that  although  foreigners 
must  often  err  on  little  points,  they  may  possibly  have  it  in 
their  power,  fully  as  much  as  themselves,  to  draw  correct 
general  inferences  with  respect  to  local  customs  and  man- 
ners. Nor  does  it  ever  seem  to  enter  into  the  thoughts  of 
the  Canadians,  as  it  always  does  into  those  of  their  neigh- 
bours, that  there  is  any  thing  peculiar,  or  mysterious,  or  dif- 
ficult to  be  understood  about  their  character. 

With  the  Americans,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  always  a 
solemn  sort  of  enigmatical  assumption  of  the  intricacy  and 
transcendent  grandeur  of  their  whole  system,  not  to  be  com» 
prehended  by  weak  European  minds.  Nevertheless,  with, 
this  universal  authority  against  me  on  that  side  of  the  water, 
I suspect,  it  will  be  found,  after  all,  that  there  is  less  variety 
in  the  American  character  individually,  and  less  complica- 
tion in.  their  political  systems,  than  in  those  of  almost  any 
other  country.  One  or  two  very  obvious  principles  appear, 
by  their  own  showing,  to  regulate  the  whole  matter,  and 
these,  after  a time,  are  easily  understood. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


The  Welland  Canal  is  intended  to  perform  the  same  step 
over  the  intervening  land,  as  that  made  by  the  falls  and  ra- 
pids of  Niagara,  from  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  to  that  of  Lake 
Ontario— only  in  a more  gentle  and  manageable  way.  Nia- 
gara is  wonderful  and  beautiful  to  look  at,  and  so  far  has  its 
advantages.  But  this  great  canal  will  be  much  more  useful 
in  advancing  the  ordinarv  business  of  life.  The  feelings  ex- 
Vol.  I.  * 11 


114 


TRAVELS  II? 


cited  by  seeing  these  two  noble  works,  the  one  of  nature/ 
the  other  of  art,  side  by  side,  at  the  distance  of  only  six  or 
eight  mile^,  are  very  different,  I grant;  but  both,  in  their 
respective  ways,  are  well  calculated  to  fill  the  spectator 
with  agreeable  reflections. 

There  are  many  persons,  indeed,  as  I have  before  hinted, 
upon  whom  the  Falls  of  Niagara  are  in  a great  measure 
wasted,  and  who,  from  not  feeling  the  grandeur  of  the  scene 
themselves,  are  apt,  not  very  fairly,  to  slight  the  expression 
of  admiration  in  others;  and  this,  I fear,  must  continue  as 
long  as  the  Falls  exist.  Such  a work,  however,  as  the  Wel- 
land Canal,  has  a different  fate  in  general  estimation.  When 
the  idea  was  first  conceived,  it  was  ridiculed  by  all  persons, 
except  a very  few;  and  even  after  the  ground  was  surveyed 
and  the  scheme  found  practicable,  the  whole  project  was  con- 
sidered so  entirely  hopeless,  that  it  met  with  no  active  oppo- 
sition from  those  who  disapproved  of  it,  nor  any  great  sup- 
port from  those  who  wished  it  well. 

The  bold  and  workmanlike  idea  of  making  a ship  canal 
from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario,  first  originated  with  Mr. 
William  Hamilton  Merritt,  a resident  at  the  village  of  St. 
Catherine’s,  in  Upper  Canada,  through  which  spot  the  canal 
now  passes.  And  I was  glad  to  observe  that  all  parties  con- 
curred in  saying  that  to  his  perseverance  and  knowledge  of 
the  subject,  as  well  as  to  his  great  personal  exertions,  this 
useful  work  stands  mainly  indebted  for  its  success.  It  is, 
indeed,  curious  to  remark  how  often  the  most  stupendous  un- 
dertakings owe  their  existence  to  the  vigorous  intelligence  of 
a single  person,  who,  as  in  this  case,  may  not,  individually, 
have  power  to  carry  one  thousandth  part  of  his  favourite  pro- 
ject into  effect.  But  by  bringing  the  strength  of  his  own 
mind  to  bear  steadily  on  the  capacities  of  others,  a man  of 
this  stamp  may  turn  their  superior  means  to  his  purpose;  and 
thus  assisted,  be  enabled  to  accomplish  measures  of  the  great- 
est wisdom  and  public  utility,  which  mere  undirected  wealth 
might  never  have  conceived,  still  less  have  executed. 

The  level  of  Lake  Erie  above  Lake  Ontario  is  330  feet, 
which  is  surmounted  by  a series  of  thirty-seven  locks,  cut 
on  the  ridge  of  the  mountain,  facing  Lake  Ontario.  The 
whole  canal  is  forty-one  miles  and  a half  long,  and  is  of  a size 
to  admit  the  largest  class  of  sailing  vessels  navigating  the 
lakes.  These  are  schooners  from  90  to  120  tons  burden,  and 
they  will  pass  readily  enough  through  the  locks,  which  are 
made  100  feet  long,  and  22  feet  wide.  The  depth  of  the 
water  is  at  no  place  less  than  eight  feet;  and  by  a judicious 
set  of  arrangements,  this  may  readily  be  augmented  to  ten 


UFRER  CANADA. 


115 


feet,  if  vessels  of  a greater  draught  of  water  be  built  for  the 
lakes.  A great  part  of  the  channel  of  this  canal,  was  ready 
made  by  nature.  The  Welland  and  Grand  Rivers,  indeed, 
which  form  a considerable  portion  of  the  whole  work,  are 
more  like  canals  than  running  streams,  their  flow  being  im- 
perceptible. Ten  or  twelve  miles  of  the  canal,  also,  are  cut 
through  a marsh,  by  which  operation  an  extensive  tract  of 
rich  soil  has  been  laid  bare  and  will  be  brought  at  once  into 
cultivation,  in  a part  of  the  country,  too,  where  such  land 
is  most  valuable. 

I mentioned,  when  speaking  of  the  grand  Erie  Canal,  on 
the  American  side,  that  a deep  cut  was  made  through  the 
solid  rock  at  Lockport.  A similar  rise  in  the  ground' — a 
prolongation  of  the  same  range— -has  made  it  necessary  to 
form  a deep  cutting  also  for  the  Welland  Canal  to  pass 
through.  The  difficulty,  however,  was  here  much  less,  from 
the  top  of  the  ridge  consisting  of  clay  instead  of  rock.  The 
chain  of  locks  by  which  the  canal  descends  that  side  of  the 
hill  which  faces  Lake  Ontario,  was  formed  under  greater  ad- 
vantages than  the  series  at  Lockport  They  lie,  during  great 
part  of  the  way,  along  the  course  of  a ravine  or  natural  cleft, 
so  admirably  suited  to  the  purposes  required,  that  in  many 
instances  little  more  has  been  found  necessary  than  merely 
cutting  a towing  path  on  the  banks,  after  damming  up  the 
water  into  a series  of  large  ponds,  or  reservoirs,  which  serve 
not  only  the  primary  purpose  of  feeding  the  locks,  but  also 
furnish  water  in  such  profuse  quantity,  that  numerous  mills 
and  manufactories  will  be  supplied,  even  in  the  driest  sea- 
son, by  the  mere  waste  waters  of  the  canal. 

Another  practical  advantage  of  some  moment  has  been  se- 
cured by  the  peculiar  conformation  of  this  valley.  It  hap* 
pens  to  be  divided  into  a series  of  steps,  so  far  removed  from 
one  another,  that  there  has  been  no  necessity  for  placing  any 
two  of  the  locks  together,  so  that  the  one  shall  open  into  the 
other.  In  consequence  of  this  fortunate  arrangement,  a ves- 
sel going  up  has  not  longer  to  wait  for  another  coming  down, 
than  the  mere  time  necessarily  occupied  in  passing  a single 
lock.  If  two  or  more  locks  be  in  conjunction  on  a canal,  it 
is  clear  that  whenever  vessels  going  in  opposite  ways  meet, 
one  of  them  must  pass  through  the  whole  series  before  the 
other  can  enter  the  first  lock. 

At  Lockport,  on  the  Erie  Canal,  this  difficulty  has  been 
judiciously  overcome,  at  a great  expense,  however,  by  the  es* 
tablishment  of  a double  set  of  locks,  one  for  carrying  boats  up, 
the  other  for  bringing  them  down.  There  is  one  other  point 
the  American  Canal  where  a number  of  locks  again  una? 


■116 


TRAVELS  IN 


voidably  come  together  in  a single  series.  But  this  produce- 
so  much  detention,  that  I have  no  doubt  the  same  sagacity 
and  spirit  of  enterprise,  which  have  already  done  so  much 
in  that  quarter,  will  soon  remedy  the  evil,  by  forming  ano- 
ther set  side  by  side  with  the  first. 

The  Welland  Canal  is  58  feet  wide  at  the  surface,  26  at 
bottom,  and  carries  8 feet  water  at  its  shallowest  places. 
At  no  great  expense,  if  it  shall  be  wanted,  this  depth  may 
at  any  time  be  increased  to  10  feet  throughout.  All  the  locks 
are  constructed  of  wood,  which,  in  a country  abounding  in 
timber,  is  certainly  the  cheapest  and  most  natural  material  to 
use.  Their  cost  has  been  estimated  at  one  ninth  part  of  the 
expense  of  stone  locks;  and  if  it  shall  be  thought  advisable 
eventually  to  reconstruct  them  of  more  durable  materials, 
the  canal  will  then  afford  a ready  means  of  transporting  the 
hewn  stones  to  the  very  spot,  at  an  expense  utterly  insigni- 
ficant compared  to  what  it  would  have  been  in  the  first  in- 
stance. 

It  always  struck  me  that  the  locks  on  the  Erie  or  New 
York  Canal,  might  have  been  advantageously  made,  in  like 
manner,  of  timber;  because,  independently  of  the  saving  of 
money,  the  mere  interest  of  which  saving  would  have  kept 
wooden  locks  permanently  in  repair,  there  would  have  been 
another  great  advantage  in  the  facility  with  which  the  dimen- 
sions  of  the  locks  miglit  have  been  enlarged.  Should  it  be 
thought  useful,  as  it  probably  will  very  soon  be,  to  make  the 
whole  line  of  the  Erie  Canal  large  enough  for  schooners,  in 
imitation  of  the  Welland  Canal,  the  circumstance  of  all  the 
locks  being  built  of  stone  will  be  a serious  embarrassment. 

The  Welland  Canal  was  undoubtedly  suggested  by  the 
great  work  just  alluded  to,  and,  in  turn,  it  is  not  improba- 
ble that  the  Americans  will  take  the  above  hint  from  their 
opposite  neighbours  in  Canada.  This  is  generous  and  legi- 
timate rivalry;  and  although,  at  first  sight,  it  may  seem  that 
the  Welland  Canal,  by  offering  superior  advantages,  will 
draw  away  from  New  York  a portion  of  the  rich  produce  of 
the  state  of  Ohio,  of  Upper  Canada,  and  of  the  other  bound- 
less fertile  regions  which  form  the  shores  of  the  higher  lakes, 
yet  there  seems  little  doubt  that  the  actual  production  of  ma- 
terials requiring  transport  will  increase  still  faster  than  the 
means  of  carrying  them  to  the  sea,  and  that  ere  long  addi- 
tional canals,  besides  these  two,  will  be  found  necessary. 
At  all  events,  the  upper  countries  alluded  to  will  derive  con- 
siderable advantages  from  having  a free  choice  of  markets, 
as  they  may  now  proceed  either  to  New  York  by  the  Erie 
Canal,  or  by  the  Welland  Canal,  down  the  river  St.  Law- 


UPPER  CANADA, 


117 


rence,  according  as  the  market  of  New  York  or  that  of  Mon- 
treal shall  happen  to  be  the  most  favourable,  or  the  means  of 
transport  cheapest. 

The  Welland  Canal  has  some  farther  advantage  over  its 
rival,  I understand,  from  its  southern  end,  or  that  which 
opens  into  Lake  Erie,  lying  farther  to  the  westward  along 
the  northern  shore  of  the  lake,  than  the  opening  of  the  Ame- 
rican Canal.  In  consequence  of  this  circumstance,  the  ice, 
it  is  said,  blocks  up  the  entrance  to  the  Erie  Canal  at  Buffalo, 
several  weeks  longer  than  the  mouth  of  the  Welland  Canal, 
and  thus  a considerable  advance  is  gained  by  its  being  open 
earlier  in  spring,  and  later  in  autumn,  than  the  other. 

Lake  Erie  is  not  above  ten  or  twelve  fathoms  deep,  and 
is  frozen  over  every  season.  But  Lake  Ontario,  it  is  inte- 
resting to  observe,  is  so  deep  that  ice  never  forms  upon  it 
It  thus  acts  the  part  of  a great  heater  to  temper  the  severity 
of  the  winters  in  those  regions;  and  we  find  that  the  climate 
on  both  sides  of  this  magnificent  body  of  water,  which  is 
170  miles  in  length,  by  35  in  breadth,  is  actually  much 
milder  in  winter,  and  cooler  in  summer,  than  either  at  New 
York  or  Quebec. 

It  will  be  seen  by  looking  at  the  map  of  North  America, 
that  there  are  three  great  outlets  by  which  the  produce  of 
the  interior  may  find  its  way  to  the  ocean;— the  Mississippi, 
which  joins  the  sea  near  New  Orleans  on  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico; the  St.  Lawrence,  which  passes  Montreal  and  Quebec; 
and  lastly,  the  Hudson,  which  runs  out  at  New  York.  These 
three  channels  are  made  to  centre  in  the  great  northern  lakes3 
partly  by  nature  and  partly  by  the  assistance  of  man.  The 
Hudson  is  joined  to  Lake  Erie  by  the  grand  canal  so  often 
mentioned,  and  also  to  Lake  Ontario  by  a branch  from  it 
which  runs  from  Syracuse  to  Oswego;  and  thus  the  port  of 
New  York  may  receive  the  produce  of  the  countries  which 
lie  on  the  borders  of  all  the  lakes,  by  a course  of  uninter- 
rupted water  carriage. 

A canal  is  nearly  completed  (1829,)  which  is  to  join  Lake 
Erie  with  the  Ohio  river,  and  as  that  stream  runs  into  the 
Mississippi,  a water  communication  between  the  lakes  and 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico  will  soon  be  opened,  through  the  heart 
of  the  state  of  Ohio. 

The  most  obvious  and  natural,  and  it  soon  will  be  the  most 
advantageous  communication  with  the  sea,  is  that  by  the  ri- 
ver St.  Lawrence.  One  grand  step  towards  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  object,  which  is  of  the  highest  importance,  not 
only  to  the  >Canadas,  but  to  the  parent  state,  has  already  been 
.made  by  the  construction  of  the  Welland  Canal,  as  it  links 

n* 


118 


TRAVELS  IN 


together  all  the  upper  lakes,  bj  means  of  a ship  canal,  with 
Lake  Ontario.  Were  the  navigation  of  the  river  St.  Law- 
rence  unimpeded,  during  its  course  from  Lake  Ontario  to 
the  sea,  there  would  be  nothing  farther  to  desire  on  that 
point,  and  Upper  Canada  would  then  virtually  be,  what  it 
ought  to  be,  but  what  it  certainly  is  not  at  present,  in  any 
sense  of  the  word, — a maritime  province  of  Great  Britain. 
The  advantages  to  the  colony,  and  also  to  the  mother  coun- 
try, which  would  flow  from  the  increased  facility  of  com- 
mercial and  other  intercourse  between  them,  which  these 
channels  would  open,  are  more  considerable  than  many  peo- 
ple are  aware  of.  It  may  be  worth  while,  therefore,  to  con- 
sider the  means  which  it  is  proposed  to  adopt,  in  order  to  fa- 
cilitate the  direct  intercourse  between  Great  Britain  and  Up- 
per Canada. 

The  countries  belonging  to  his  Majesty  bordering  on  the 
lakes,  or  drained  by  the  rivers  which  discharge  themselves 
into  the  St.  Lawrence,  are  capable,  it  is  said,  of  producing 
for  export  as  much  grain  and  flour  as  the  whole  United 
States.  Nov/,  British  merchandize  is  admitted  into  the  Ca- 
nadas, over  the  whole  of  the  fertile  region  alluded  to,  at  a 
duty  of  about  per  cent.,  while  the  return  produce  of  those 
countries  pays  in  England  only  about  5s.  per  quarter  for 
wheat;  whereas,  in  the  United  States,  the  duties  on  British 
merchandize  run  as  high  as  80  per  cent.,  and  in  many  cases 
much  higher,  and  the  duty  upon  the  import  of  American 
wheat  into  England  is  very  high:  so  that  a vast  direct  mart 
for  the  manufactured  goods  of  England  lies  open  to  us  in 
Canada.  I say  nothing  of  the  immense  waste  weir,  as  it  has 
been  called,  across  the  frontier,  and  over  which,  morally  or 
immorally,  the  surplus  importation  of  goods  into  Canada 
will  find  its  way  into  the  United  States,  in  spite  of  all  the 
tariffs,  and  all  the  custom-house  officers  in  the  world;— the 
smugglers  will  defy  the  mutual  wishes  of  both  governments 
to  prevent  illicit  intercourse. 

Were  American  grain  allowed  to  be  shipped  in  the  St. 
Lawrence  at  rates  not  greatly  higher  than  that  from  our  own 
provinces,  an  additional  stimulus  would  obviously  be  given 
to  our  commercial  intercourse  with  the  northern  and  west- 
ern frontiers  of  the  United  States.  But  how  far  this  could 
be  made  suitable  to  the  present  system  of  corn  laws  in  Eng- 
land, seems  more  than  doubtful. 

The  physical  impediments  to  the  free  intercourse  between 
Lake  Ontario  and  the  sea  consist  of  numberless  troublesome 
rapids  which  can  be  ascended  only  at  the  cost  of  much  time, 
labour,  and  money.  A canal,  however,  cut  round  these  ra- 


UPPER  CANADA, 


119 


pids,  would  effect  this  important  object,  and  connect  Lake 
Ontario  with  the  Ocean.  If  this  were  completed,  thetrans- 
port  of  one  ton  of  merchandize,  which  now  costs  L.7,  10s. , 
might  be  conveyed  from  the  sea  to  Lake  Erie  for  L.2,  5s., 
according  to  data  collected  from  the  average  experience  of 
other  canals  in  that  country. 

The  communication  between  the  sea  and  Lake  Erie,  is  at 
present  almost  exclusively  enjoyed  by  the  Americans,  who 
send  their  goods  either  direct  by  the  grand  canal,  or  turn 
out  of  it  at  Syracuse,  and  having  entered  Lake  Ontario  at 
Oswego,  proceed  to  the  Welland  Canal,  and  thus  easily  reach 
Lake  Erie. 

The  English,  however,  have  no  such  means,  as  yet,  of 
reaching  Upper  Canada.  By  the  above  route  it  costs  the 
Americans  180  miles  of  canal,  and  576  feet  of  lockage,  to 
establish  a communication  between  the  ocean  and  Lake  On- 
tario; while  if  the  improvements  above  alluded  to  were  com- 
pleted round  the  rapids  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  60  miles  of  canal, 
and  194  feet  of  lockage,  would  accomplish  the  same  purpose. 

At  present,  the  expense  of  transporting  a ton  of  goods  from 
New  York  to  Lake  Ontario  by  the  route  above-mentioned, 
is  L.2,  13s. ; and  that  of  conveying  the  same  quantity  by  the 
St.  Lawrence  in  its  present  imperfect  state,  is  L.4,  IQs.— 
which  gives  a preponderance  against  the  Canadian  route  of 
L.l,  17s.  Whereas,  if  the  proposed  canal  were  constructed, 
so  as  to  overcome  the  difficulty  of  navigating  the  St.  Law- 
rence, a ton  of  merchandize  might  be  sent  to  Lake  Ontario 
for  15s.,  when,  compared  with  the  present  cost  by  the  Ameri- 
can canal,  L.2,  13s.,  would  leave  a preponderance  of  L.l, 
18s.  in  favour  of  the  English.  It  is  important  to  observe,  that 
as  these  distinctions  are  caused  entirely  by  the  differences 
in  levels  and  in  distances  specified  above,  the  advantage,  if 
once  taken  possession  of  by  the  Canadian  government,  could 
never,  by  the  nature  of  things,  be  interfered  with.  Possibly, 
also,  if  the  navigation  of  the  St.  Lawrence  were  improved, 
a considerable  portion  of  the  American  produce  which  now 
finds  its  way  to  New  York,  would  drain  off  by  the  less  ex- 
pensive channel  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  supposing  the  markets 
to  be  equally  good. 

The  pecuniary  part  of  these  statements  has  been  confined 
to  the  intercourse  with  Lake  Ontario;  but  it  might  easily  be 
shown,  that  if  Lake  Erie,  and  the  enormous  extent  of  fertile 
shores  which  every  where  fringe  the  great  lakes  connected 
with  it,  be  the  objects,  the  proportionate  cheapness  of  the 
communication  would  be  still  greater  by  the  route  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  than  by  that  of  the  Erie  Canal. 


120 


TRAVELS  IN 


It  has  been  objected  to  this  argument,  that  the  ports  of 
Quebec  and  Montreal  are  frozen  up  during  several  months 
of  the  year,  whereas  that  of  New  Y ork  is  always  open.  But 
to  this  there  are  two  answers.  The  winter  in  those  coun- 
tries is  the  season  when  agricultural  produce  is  collected  on 
the  banks  of  the  rivers,  ready  to  be  sent  to  market  on  the 
opening  of  the  navigation;  and  very  little  business  would  be 
done  even  were  the  ,St.  Lawrence  then  free  from  ice.  In 
the  second  place,  the  Erie  Canal,  the  great  feeder  of  New 
York  from  the  interior,  and  almost  all  the  streams  which 
contribute  to  the  same  purpose,  are  closed  very  nearly  as 
long  as  the  St.  Lawrence.  To  which  it  may  be  added,  that 
the  supplies  of  European  goods  intended  for  the  interior,  are 
generally  imported  in  the  spring  and  autumn,  when  both 
routes  are  open. 

The  physical  difficulties  which  stand  in  the  way  of  these 
improvements  will  easily  be  turned  to  useful  account  by  the 
plastic  hands  of  genius  and  perseverance.  But  the  moral, 
or  rather  the  political,  impediments  to  the  right  adjustment 
of  this  question,  are  formed  of  so  much  tougher  materials, 
that  I scarcely  hope  to  escape  being  deemed  presumptuous 
for  touching  upon  them  at  all. 

One  of  the  most  obvious  difficulties,  I suspect,  in  the  way 
of  improving  the  intercourse  between  Upper  Canada  and  the 
sea,  consists  in  the  absence  of  a hearty  political  union  be- 
tween the  upper  and  lower  provinces.  The  effect  of  this 
vrant  of  concert  is,  that  their  joint  resources  are  not,  and 
cannot,  I fear,  be  directed  to  this  and  many  other  objects, 
which,  if  the  colonies  were  thoroughly  joined,  would  emi- 
nently advance  the  interests  of  the  united  body. 

How  such  a political  alliance  is  to  be  brought  about,  I have 
not  information  enough  to  enable  me  to  judge;  but  there  is 
one  scheme  for  paving  the  way  towards  so  desirable  a con- 
summation, which,  I confess,  has  always  appeared  to  me  ex- 
tremely feasible,  and  I trust  it  will  not  be  allowed  to  go  to 
sleep.  I allude  to  the  annexation  of  Montreal  to  Upper  Ca- 
nada. Until  that  point  be  arranged,  the  resources  of  the  up- 
per province,  one  of  the  richest  portions  of  his  Majesty’s  do- 
minions, must  inevitably  be  cramped,  and  its  effective  inte- 
rest in  us  diminished.  Without  a seaport  which  she  can  call 
her  own,  and  without  those  advantages,  commercial  and  finam 
cial,  which  nothing  else  can  supply,  her  energies  of  every 
kind  must  be  deadened;  and,  above  all,  those  relations  which 
bind  her  and  the  mother  country  together  cannot  fail  to  be 
loosened — or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  they  have  not  yet 


UPPER  CANADA, 


121 


been  properly  established,  and  I fear  never  can  be,  while 
she  is  thus  blocked  out  from  the  sea. 

Upper  Canada,  by  political  birthright,  as  well  as  her  stea* 
dy  loyalty  to  Great  Britain,  is  certainly  entitled  to  be  placed 
on  equal  terms  with  her  neighbours.  But  until  the  only  sea- 
port she  can  possibly  obtain,  be  included  within  her  bourn 
dary,  and  her  legislature  be  thus  vested  with  efficient  control 
over  the  commercial  resources  of  the  colony,  that  province 
must  be  virtually  separated  from  us,  and  from  the  rest  of 
the  world.  She  will  be  even  estranged  from  her  sister  colo- 
nies in  that  continent,  and  also  from  those  of  the  West  In- 
dies, with  all  of  which  she  is  unquestionably  entitled  to  hold 
as  open  relations,  as  are  enjoyed  by  any  of  the  rest  of  his 
Majesty’s  possessions.  But  these  relations  it  is  almost  a 
mockery  to  suppose  she  can  keep  up  without  a free  access  to 
the  ocean,  not  as  a matter  of  favour,  but  as  an  inherent  ter- 
ritorial right,  independent  of  the  good-will  of  any  other  coun- 
try or  province.  This  claim  is  much  strengthened,  in  the 
opinion  of  its  advocates,  by  the  fact  that,  although  she  has  no 
seaport,  two-thirds  of  the  exports  from  the  river  St.  Law- 
rence are  the  produce  of  Upper  Canada,  and  as  this  ratio 
will  probably  go  on  increasing  in  her  favour,  it  becomes  dai- 
ly more  and  more  important  for  England  to  consider  the 
question  attentively. 

The  Lower  Canadians  are,  I believe,  and  not  unnaturally, 
averse  to  the  relinquishment  of  Montreal;  but  they  might  well 
be  contented  with  the  magnificent  port  of  Quebec;  especially 
as  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  any  augmentation  of  wealth  in 
their  sister  colony  must  be  fully  shared  by  them,  and  their 
profits  from  that  source  would,  probably,  very  soon  overba- 
lance any  loss  incident  to  this  nominal  sacrifice. 

The  first  effect  of  bringing  the  boundary  of  Upper  Canada 
farther  down,  would  inevitably  be  the  adoption  of  an  exten- 
sive set  of  improvements  in  the  navigation  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence; for  the  capital  and  enterprise  of  the  great  city  of  Mon- 
treal would  then  coalesce  with  those  of  the  western  parts  of 
the  province,  the  inhabitants  of  which  have  already  done  so 
much,  higher  up,  at  the  Welland  Canal,  and  Burlington  Bay. 
Thus  measures,  which  are  now  starved  by  the  want  of  vi- 
gorous concert,  would  start  into  efficiency  at  once.  Lower 
Canada  would  immediately  feel  the  advantage  of  such  im- 
proved intercourse,  while  the  resources  of  the  upper  pro- 
vince-—almost  boundless— would  for  the  first  time  be  called 
into  full  operation.  The  city  of  Montreal,  which,  under  any 
possible  view,  must  be  the  great  point  of  transit,  would  then 
reap  the  advantages  of  both.  Thus  all  the  parties  concerned 


122- 


TRAVELS  IN 


would  be  benefited,  and  those  cordial  bonds  of  profitable 
union  be  drawn  round  the  two  colonies,  which  it  is  so  obvi- 
ously the  interest  of  the  mother  country  to  tighten. 

Tins  I take  to  be  orthodox  colonial  policy  on  our  part, 
whether  a formal  political  union  of  the  provinces  be  contem- 
plated or  not  For  it  seems  to  be  the  course  which  is  most 
for  the  good  of  those  countries;  and  if  this  be  so,  it  ought  to 
be  the  first  object  of  the  statesmen  at  home  to  bring  it  about; 
for  the  real  interest  of  the  parent  state  will  certainly  fol- 
low, sooner  or  later,  every  such  exercise  of  good  faith,  un- 
contaminated by  national  selfishness. 

While  treating  of  the  communications  between  Lower  and 
Upper  Canada,  I ought  to  mention,  that  other  means  besides 
those  above  alluded  to  are  already  in  active  progress  for  ob- 
viating the  difficulties  of  the  ascent  from  the  level  of  the 
sea  to  that  of  Lake  Ontario.  A canal  is  nearly  completed 
from  Kingston,  the  great  naval  and  military  station  at  the 
east  end  of  Lake  Ontario,  to  the  Ottawa  River,  which  joins 
the  St.  Lawrence  a few  miles  above  Montreal.  This  impor- 
tant military  work,  undertaken  at  the  expense  of  the  Bri- 
tish government,  is  intended  especially  for  the  transport  of 
troops  and  military  stores  at  all  times,  but  will  be  more  par- 
ticularly useful  during  any  future  contest  with  the  United 
States.  In  order  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  our  communi- 
cations between  Lower  and  Upper  Canada  being  interfered 
with  in  time  of  war,  it  has  been  considered  right  to  carry 
this  canal  across  a part  of  the  country  removed  to  a consi- 
derable distance  back  from  the  frontier;  and  so  situated,  in 
other  respects,  that  no  probable  incursion  of  the  enemy  could 
destroy  it,  or  even  interrupt  the  passage  of  boats. 

The  Rideau  Canal,  as  this  extensive  work  is  called,  is - 
formed  almost  entirely  of  a string  of  lakes  joining  one  ano- 
ther; so  that  in  its  whole  length,  which  is  133  miles,  there 
are  not  above  20  of  regular  canal  work.  The  rest  is  accom- 
plished by  lakes,  by  locks,  and  by  a series  of  dams  thrown 
across  the  valleys,  which,  by  confining  the  water,  produce 
artificial  reservoirs,  many  miles  in  length,  on  which  steam- 
boats can  navigate  without  injury  to  the  banks. 

This  military  canal  will  require  a considerable  sum  of  mo- 
ney; but  probably  there  never  was  any  expense  better  be- 
stowed. For  the  cost  of  transporting  ordnance  and  other 
stores  by  the  direct  route  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  up  the  ra- 
pids, is  so  enormous,  that  the  saving  of  a few  years  on  this 
item  alone  will  repay  the  whole  outlay.  The  essential  ad- 
vantage, however,  and  one  which,  in  my  opinion,  we  cannot 
relinquish  without  risk  of  national  dishonour,  is  the  perfect 


UPPER  CANADA. 


123 


security  it  affords  of  being  able  to  send  troops  and  stores 
backwards  and  forwards,  in  the  event  of  hostilities,  with  that 
rapidity  which  constitutes  the  chief  desideratum  in  defen- 
sive warfare.  It  must  be  remembered  that  we  are  pledged 
in  a thousand  ways  to  assist  the  Canadians  in  defending 
their  country  $ and,  as  long  as  they  perform  their  part  of  the 
international  contract,  we  are  bound  to  shrink  from  no  means 
of  rendering  them  secure.  But  without  the  completion  of 
the  Rideau  Canal,  our  fellow-countrymen,  the  Canadians, 
can  feel  none  of  that  security  which  our  superior  means  ena- 
ble  us  to  give  them.  Any  hesitation,  therefore,  on  our  part, 
at  this  stage  of  the  business,  will  load  us  with  the  responsi- 
bility of  future  disasters.  Our  present  duty  is  most  clear-— 
and  though  its  execution  be  somewhat  costly,  its  imperative 
character  is  not  altered  on  that  account.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  as  to  what  we  ought  to  do,  were  a war  to  break  out  to- 
morrow.  But  a moment’s  reflection  will  show,  that  the  ob- 
ligation is  equally  binding  upon  us  in  advance,  as  it  will  be 
in  that  contingency. 

W ere  a ship  canal  cut  along  the  banks  of  the  St.  Law-* 
rence,  in  the  manner  first  described,  round  the  rapids  which 
impede  the  navigation  of  that  river,  and  no  other  work  con- 
structed, such  as  that  of  the  Rideau  Canal,  farther  from  the 
frontier,  the  objects  contemplated  by  the  government  would 
be  very  partially,  if  at  all,  answered.  In  peace,  no  doubt, 
there  would  be  a great  saving  in  the  transport  of  stores  from 
the  lower  to  the  upper  province.  But,  in  the  event  of  a war 
with  our  neighbours  in  the  south,  it  is  quite  obvious  that  this 
communication  would  stand  a great  chance  of  being  cut  off 
by  sudden  incursions,  against  which  it  would  be  next  to  im- 
possible to  guard  so  long  a line  of  canal,  lying  on  the  very 
bank  of  the  river.  To  establish  this  point,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  mention,  that  there  are  between  forty  and  fifty  places 
where  the  channel  for  the  boats  on  the  Canada  shore  is  with- 
in point  blank  cannon  shot  of  the  American  frontier.  Ano- 
ther means  of  communication,  therefore,  farther  back,  is  ab- 
solutely indispensable. 

| The  difficulty,  however,  of  defending  Canada,  in  the 
event  of  a war,  it  cannot  be  denied,  and  ought  not  to  be  con- 
cealed, will  be  much  increased  by  every  thing  which  tends 
to  improve  the  means  of  travelling  along  a frontier  lying  ac- 
tually under  the  guns  of  the  supposed  hostile  nation.  As 
far,  therefore,  as  mere  defence  goes,  it  would  be  better,  if 
it  were  possible,  to  render  the  left  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
an  impervious  wilderness,  and  to  augment  the  difficulties  of 
the  rapids,  instead  of  clearing  them  away.  The  more,  in 


12  4 


'TRAVELS  IN 


short,  the  river  St.  Lawrence  is  made  a high  road,  the  greater 
will  be  the  difficulty  of  defending  the  two  Canadas  during  a j 
war  with  the  United  States. 

The  Rideau  Canal,  it  will  be  observed,  purposely  takes  * 
such  a round-about  course,- that  there  is  little  chance  of  its 
being  used  for  commercial  purposes  in  peace,  though  in  war 
it  would  become  the  great  channel  of  intercourse.  The  ca- 
pitalists of  Upper  Canada  and  of  Montreal,  if  that  city  shall 
be  annexed  to  it,  will  therefore,  I have  little  doubt,  be  still 
desirous  of  constructing  a ship  canal,  by  which  they  may 
sail  directly  up  and  down  the  St.  Lawrence.  They  will 
hardly  take  into  account  the  chances  of  a war  with  the  United 
States;  or,  if  they  do,  it  will  only  quicken  their  loyalty,  and 
bind  them  closer  to  us,  by  giving  them  something  more  va- 
luable to  defend,  and  rendering  our  alliance  and  hearty  co- 
operation more  essential  to  them. 

How  far  his  Majesty’s  government  can  be  expected  to 
countenance  a project,  which  military  men  are  agreed  in  sup- 
posing will  materially  increase  the  difficulty  of  defending 
the  provinces,  I cannot  pretend  to  say. 

For  my  own  part,  however,  after  much  reflection  on  the  I 
relative  condition  of  the  United  States,  the  Canadas,  and 
England,  and  upon  all  these  arguments,  I can  see  no  reason 
why  these  two  canals,  one  for  commercial,  the  other  for  mi- 
litary purposes,  should  not  go  on  and  prosper  together.  I 
am  confident  that,  in  any  possible  contingency,  the  Cana- 
dians, whose  hearts  are  now  truly  with  us,  and  may  easily  i 
be  kept  so,  will  be  found  equal,  with  a little  of  our  assistance, 
to  maintain  their  noble  country  untouched  by  any  invader. 

But  whatever  becomes  of  the  St.  Lawrence  canal— which 
is  a minor  consideration — the  military  communication  be- 
tween the  upper  and  lower  provinces  by  the  Rideau  Canal 
must— if  we  regard  our  national  honour — on  no  account  be  ; 
abandoned,  cost  what  it  may.  And  I have  only  to  add,  that 
if  it  had  been  executed  before  the  late  contest  with  America, 
it  is  matter  of  demonstration  that  millions  of  public  money 
w ould  have  been  saved.  Still  farther,  it  may  be  suggested, 
if  we  do  not  take  warning  by  past  risks,  we  may,  in  a fu- 
ture war,  chance  to  lose  something  else,  which,  if  once  let  f 
slip,  no  millions  can  replace. 


UPPER  CANADA. 


12:5 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

On  the  12th  of  July,  1827,  I made  an  excursion  on  horse- 
back from  the  neighbourhood  of  Niagara,  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Grand  River,  which  runs  into  Lake  Erie  at  its  north-eastern 
corner,  and  is  interesting  from  being  the  point  selected  for  a 
harbour  at  the  south  end  of  the  Welland  canal.  I accompa 
nied  two  gentlemen  who,  fortunately  for  me,  were  well  ac~ 
quainted  with  the  country;  and  there  would  probably  have 
been  nothing  wanting  to  complete  our  enjoyment,  had  we 
not  omitted  to  carry  with  us  the  finest  specimen  of  a cold 
roast  turkey  I ever  saw,  expressly  formed,  one  would  have 
thought,  for  such  a pic-nic  party  as  ours.  What  on  earth 
prevented  us  from  dismembering  this  chief  of  birds,  and  stuf- 
fing,one  leg  into  one  pocket,  and  one  into  the  other,  I don’t 
know.  Had  I been  consulted,  I should  have  had  no  scruple 
in  taking  upon  me  iEsop’s  share  of  the  luggage,  and  slinging 
the  whole  animal  over  my  shoulders.  People  may  smile  at 
my  naming  a roast  turkey  in  the  same  page  with  Niagara; 
but  I can  tell  them  that  in  the  woods  of  Canada  such  things 
are  not  to  be  trifled  with,  even  within  sight,  as  we  were,  of 
the  clouds  of  spray  which  rest  for  ever  above  the  cataract. 

We  drove  in  a carriage  for  the  first  ten  or  twelve  miles, 
and  then  mounting  our  horses,  dashed  through  the  woods  in 
a southerly  direction  towards  Lake  Erie.  Here  and  there 
we  came  to  farms  cut  out  of  the  wilderness,  as  stones  litre 
hewn  out  of  quarries,  insignificant  indentures  apparently 
into  the  boundless  forest,  but  the  inevitable  forerunners  of 
extensive  and  real  improvements  in  a country  favoured  by 
so  many  sources  of  wealth— a good  climate,  a good  govern- 
ment, and  a fertile  soil.  These  patches  were  sometimes 
pleasing  and  sometimes  the  reverse;  and,  like  most  things,  in 
a great  measure  dependent  upon  the  frame  of  the  observer’s 
mind  at  the  moment.  At  one  time  we  rejoiced  to  see  a smiling 
cultivated  farm,  cottages,  and  people,  taking  the  place  of  the 
old,  unseen,  useless  tenants  of  the  woods  and  wilds,  the  In 
dian  and  the  buffalo.  At  another  moment  we  were  made 
melancholy  by  observing  the  merciless,  wanton  sort  of  way 
in  which  whole  districts  have  been  stripped  of  the  most  beau  - 
tiful oaks,  weeping  elms,  and  pines,  fit  masts  for  some  great 


126 


TRAVELS  IN 


admiral,  to  make  room  for  potato-fields,  pig-sties,  and  log- 
huts. 

It  was  a relief,  at  all  events,  to  get  into  the  open  air  again, 
and  we  cantered  merrily  along  the  sandy  beach  of  Lake  Erie, 
the  colour  of  whose  waters  was  green,  not  blue  like  those  of 
Lake  Ontario,  which,  in  this  respect,  exactly  resembles  the 
great  ocean.  The  waves  curled  and  broke,  however,  on  the 
shore  very  like  those  of  the  sea;  though  I missed  the  rich 
aromatic  perfume  so  grateful  to  a sailor’s  senses,  which  rises 
from  the  salt  surf  weeds,  and  sometimes  from  those  shrubs 
and  grasses  peculiar  to  the  coast. 

We  rode  eighteen  miles  along  the  shore,  sometimes  actu- 
ally touching  the  water,  and  at  other  places,  striking  inland 
a little.  Upon  one  of  these  occasions  we  came  to  an  exten- 
sive district  of  country,  which  had  been  inundated  apparently 
for  several  years.  The  consequence  was,  that  all  vegetable 
things,  trees,  underwood,  and  grass,  were  killed  outright,  the 
whole  scene  being  left  in  the  most  deplorable  state  of  deso- 
lation. Many  trees  appeared  to  have  had  their  tops  blown 
off  in  the  progress  of  decay,  and  upon  the  summits  of  the 
stumps  some  politic  eagles  had  built  nests,  which  looked  not 
unlike  great  wigs  placed  on  the  top  of  May  poles.  In  many  of 
these  we  could  see  the  heads  of  certain  young  eagles  peeping 
over  the  edge,  and  high  above  all,  the  ugly,  bald-pated,  old 
birds,  soaring  away  in  grand  style. 

The  reminiscences  of  the  cold  turkey,  now  began  to  inter- 
fere grievously  with  the  interest  of  the  scenery;  and,  like 
sailors  cast  adrift  in  a boat,  we  made  distant  allusions  to  the 
subject  with  anxious  forebodings  of  future  abstinence.  “ I 
wish  much,”  I said,  “ that  we  could  see  any  thing  like  an 
inn  ahead  there  amongst  those  trees.  ” My  companions,  who 
were  older  travellers  in  Canada,  smiled  at  my  simplicity, 
and  bade  me  be  of  good  cheer,  since  we  could  not  possibly 
get  a morsel  of  food  till  we  reached  the  Grand  River,  still 
many  leagues  from  us.  Rut,  fortunately,  they  were  out  in 
their  reckoning;  for,  just  as  we  turned  the  corner  of  a pro- 
jecting point  of  land,  and  felt  the  cool  south-west  sea  breeze, 
as  it  might  be  called,  in  our  faces,  we  beheld  the  glorious  vi- 
sion of  a sign-post,  infinitely  more  pleasing  to  our  eyes  than 
any  Raphael  or  Rembrandt  could  possibly  have  been. 

The  door  was  open,  but  the  cottage  was  empty,  and  as  no 
signs  of  food  or  fire  were  to  be  discovered,  our  hearts  sunk 
within  us.  But  hope  soon  met  our  eyes  in  the  shape  of  a come- 
ly young  woman,  who  spoke  delightful  things  of  bacon  and 


UPPER  CANADA, 


127 


eggs,  displayed  a loaf  of  bread,  and  half  promised  us  one  of  the 
old  hens  which  we  saw  chuckling  about  the  doors,  unconscious 
of  her  fate.  It  was  no  easy  matter  to  strike  a light;  and  I 
don’t  know  how  we  should  have  got  on,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  assistance  of  an  Irish  lad  who  joined  us  at  this  moment, 
and  thrusting  his  nose  into  the  ashes,  declared  there  was  a 
spark.  This  was  speedily  exalted  into  a goodly  blaze,  and 
while  the  lady  proceeded  to  put  her  sentence  of  death  into 
execution  against  the  poultry,  she  good-naturedly  allowed  us 
to  get  the  tea-kettle  under  weigh,  and  made  no  objections  to 
our  rummaging  the  closet  for  cups  and  saucers.  She  laughed 
repeatedly  at  our  awkwardness;  and  quizzed  me  in  particular 
unmercifully  for  making  the  fire  at  a part  of  the  hearth  be- 
yond the  reach  of  the  iron  crane  upon  which  the  tea-kettle 
was  to  hang.  I raised  myself,  however,  several  degrees  in 
her  estimation,  by  bringing  a little  nautical  science  to  bear 
upon  this  matter.  With  a couple  of  sticks,  planted  on  the 
side  of  the  chimney,  I got  up  a sort  of  outrigger  or  prop, 
which  being  applied  to  the  suspending  chain,  bulged  it  out, 
and  thus  guided  the  tea-kettle  to  its  proper  birth  over  the 
flames. 

Our  nags,  in  the  meantime,  in  imitation  of  their  riders,  had 
been  feasting  upon  a great  arm-full  of  new  hay,  brought  by 
the  kind  farmer  himself,  who,  upon  detecting  us  from  afar, 
had  hurried  home  to  assist  us.  So  that  when  we  remounted 
and  again  attacked  the  road,  every  thing  appeared  to  have 
acquired  a fresher  relish.  All  fatigue  was  gone,  bodily  and 
mental.  The  lake,  the  banks,  the  grouping  of  the  trees, 
were  all  more  beautiful  than  before;  and  so  far  from  the  ride 
seeming  long,  we  dropped  into  the  quiet  little  naval  establish- 
ment at  the  mouth  of  the  Grand  River— -our  ultimate  object — • 
long  before  it  appeared  that  we  had  come  nearly  to  the  jour- 
ney’s end. 

The  flag-staff  was  struck,  the  works  gone  to  decay,  the 
store-houses  nearly  empty.  Every  thing  we  saw,  in  short, 
bespoke  the  stillness  and  neglect  of  peace,  as  contradistin- 
guished from  the  rattling  activity  of  iron  war. 

A small  military  party  were  stationed  here,  under  the  com- 
mand of  an  officer,  whose  unhappiness  at  this  moment  inte- 
rested our  feelings  not  a little.  All  things,  it  is  said,  are 
judged  of  by  comparison;  but  surely  it  required  some  elasti- 
city in  the  imagination  to  understand  how  such  a wretched 
abode  as  the  Grand  River  station  could  be  deemed  a desira- 
ble residence.  Yet  so  it  seemed  to  this  worthy  officer,  and 


128 


TRAVELS  IN' 


Ms  poor  family,  who  were  in  great  distress  at  the  necessity 
of  leaving  it. 

In  the  meantime,  he  showed  us  to  his  log-house,  not  a do- 
zen feet  high,  half  buried  in  the  sand,  within  twenty  paces 
of  a stagnant  marsh,  and  blessed  with  not  more  than  ten  yards 
of  prospect  in  any  direction,  besides  being  placed  in  a sort 
of  eddy  or  cove,  which  tempted  whole  armies  of  industrious 
moschetoes  to  carry  on  their  operations  against  himself,  his 
wife,  and  his  six  children.  To  compensate  for  this  supera- 
bundance of  company  of  one  description,  he  told  us,  what  in- 
deed was  sufficiently  apparent,  that  his  society  in  all  other 
respects  was  very  limited;  but  as  this  removed  the  necessity 
of  incurring  inconvenient  expenses,  and  as  he  had  begun  to 
draw  sundry  little  comforts  about  him,  and  the  whole  party 
possessed  cheerful  dispositions,  the  loneliness  of  the  situation 
was  scarcely  felt. 

Some  months  previous  to  our  visit,  a party  of  soldiers  had 
been  ordered  from  Quebec  to  this  remote  station,  and  our 
friend,  who  considered  himself  fortunate  in  getting  the  ap- 
pointment, set  off  accordingly  with  his  family,  in  high  spirits. 
The  proverbial  miseries  of  a protracted  voyage  across  Lake 
Ontario,  in  a badly  found  sloop,  and  the  ten  times  more  ha- 
rassing journey  through  the  forest,  were  submitted  to  with 
patience.  Not  far  from  the  Grand  River,  the  party  were  be- 
nighted, and  such  was  the  jolting  of  the  carriage  over  the 
Corduroy  roads,  that  to  save  the  little  life  of  one  of  their 
children,  only  three  weeks  old,  it  was  lifted  out  of  the  car- 
riage and  carried  in  one  of  the  men’s  arms  in  the  dark,  through 
the  woods,  though  at  every  third  step  the  honest  soldier-nyrse 
plunged  up  to  his  knees  in  mud;  while  the  poor  urchin  was 
unconsciously  augmenting  the  miseries  of  the  night  by  crying 
with  cold  and  hunger.  At  length  the  dreary  journey  was  at 
an  end,  and  all  its  miseries  were  soon  forgotten  in  the  joy 
of  getting  fairly  established  in  a home  of  some  kind,  suitecl 
to  their  means,  and  rendered  doubly  advantageous  from  be- 
ing, as  they  thought,  permanent.  The  arrival  of  the  baggage 
wagons  brought  fresh  cares  in  the  shape  of  a miserable  ac- 
count of  broken  crockery— -an  irreparable  misfortune  in  the 
back  woods!  But,  as  I said  before,  they  were  far  too  happy 
to  feel  themselves  fixed  at  last,  to  worry  one  another  with 
unavailing  complaints,  but  turned  about  cheerfully  to  make 
the  most  of  their  situation  for  the  next  few  years.  On  the 
very  morning  we  arrived,  however,  counter  orders  reached 
the  station;  the  regiment,  it  seems,  was  ordered  from  Cana- 


UPPER  CANADA 


129 


da  to  England,  and  another  officer  was  of  course  apppointed 
to  supersede  our  afflicted  host. 

It  is  all  very  well  to  assert,  that  officers  who  marry  on  their 
pay,  must  take  their  chance  of  the  turns  of  the  service,  and 
that  the  case  I have  just  described  is  that  of  five  hundred 
others.  So  it  is.  But  yet,  when  we  come  in  contact  with 
the  actual  misery  of  such  scenes,  the  evil,  so  far  from  being 
lessened,  is  aggravated  by  the  reflections  which  remind  us  of 
their  frequency. 

To  descend  to  the  minor  ills  of  life,  I must  say  that,  in  an 
evil  hour,  we  decided  upon  leaving  the  station,  and  crossing 
the  river  to  a little  inn,  where  we  thought  we  should  be  more 
at  ease  than  if  we  accepted  the  kind  offer  made  to  us  by  the 
officer  in  charge  of  the  establishment,  to  sleep  at  his  house. 
At  ease,  did  I say!  P Notin  Lima— the  “City  of  the  Kings,’* 
—which,  till  now,  I had  thought  was  the  head-quarters  of 
those  nameless  creeping  things  which  form  the  misery  of  bad 
lodgings — did  I ever  encounter  such  myriads  of  those  mur- 
derers of-sleep.  For  half  the  night  I lay  tossing,  and  growl- 
ing, and  ejaculating,  in  terms  not  fit  to  be  printed.  I tried 
to  remedy  matters  by  putting  on  a great-coat;  then  drew  or 
gloves,  stockings,  drawers — all  to  no  purpose!  Got  up, 
spread  a sheet  on  the  mud  floor— still  in  vain ! At  last,  about 
midnight,  it  occurred  to  me,  that  as  the  case  was  evidently 
hopeless,  it  would  be  best  to  lie  still,  grinning  and  bearing 
the  torture  as  well  as  might  be.  So  I lay  revolving  all  the 
sweet  and  bitter  thoughts  I could  muster,  and  at  times  almost 
managed  to  philosophize  myself  into  the  confession  that  even 
these  annoyances  were  trifles  in  comparison  with  the  varied, 
and  boundless  sort  of  interest,  which  was  rising  higher  and 
higher  at  every  step  as  the  journey  advanced. 

The  dawn  of  the  next  day  was  hailed  with  great  joy  by  all 
hands,  and  shortly  after  four  o’clock  the  whole  party  were 
up  and  stirring  about  the  cottage.  Our  hostess,  the  widow  of 
a sailor  formerly  on  the  establishment,  with  the  neatness  of 
habits  belonging  to  a man-of-war,  had  laid  out  for  us  a capi- 
tal breakfast  of  fish,  caught  during  the  night  in  a seine,  or 
drag-net,  by  three  or  four  of  the  soldiers  of  the  little  garrison 
opposite.  Our  table  was  placed  in  the  open  air,  and  facing 
the  rising  sun;  with  Lake  Erie,  now  quite  still,  lying  at  our 
feet,  and— I am  ashamed  to  use  such  a simile— not  very  un- 
like an  immense  pond.  The  high  grounds  of  Pennsylvania 
lay  sleeping  in  the  distance  beyond  it,  and  looming  high  in 
the  misty  air  of  the  cool  morning,  a circumstance  which,  to 

12* 


130 


TRAVELS  IN 


experienced  eyes,  foretold  a sultry  day.  The  Grand  River 
drifted  slowly  past,  black  and  sluggish,  as  if  it  had  been  a . 
stream  of  dark-coloured  oil  rather  than  of  water;  this  tinge 
being  imparted  to  it,  the  inhabitants  informed  us,  by  Cran- 
borough  and  Wainfleet  Marshes,  of  which  extensive  swamps 
it  is  the  principal  drain. 

We  set.  off  about  seven  o’clock  to  ride  through  one  of  these 
treacherous,  half-drowned  districts — I forget  which  of  them — * 
and  were  nothing  daunted,  as  we  ought  in  reason  to  have 
been,  by  the  stories  of  the  danger,  and  the  intolerable  bad- 
ness of  the  roads.  For  the  first  mile  or  two,. we  tripped 
along  pretty  well,  with  only  an  occasional  slough,  which  re- 
minded me  of  the  villanous  pantanas,  or  great  mud-holes, 
of  Buenos  Ayres,  large  enough  to  swallow  a mail  coach. 
As  we  proceeded,  things  got  worse  and  worse,  till  at  last  it 
seemed  as  if  we  were  in  a very  fair  way  to  imitate  the  fate 
of  the  Master  of  Ravenswood,  by  stabling  our  steeds  in  the 
bottomless  pit  of  some  Kelpie’s  flow. 

At  this  critical  stage  of  our  progress,  when,  I suspect,  we 
only  wanted  a good  excuse  for  turning  back,  but  were  de- 
terred from  saying  so,  by  the  mere  fact  of  its  being  hazard- 
ous to  advance, rive  observed  a portly-looking  horseman  ap- 
proaching us  from  the  Marsh.  In  reply  to  our  interrogato- 
ries, as  to  the  state  of  the  roads  farther  on,  he  shook  his  head, 
and  assured  us  they  were  much  worse  than  any  we  had  yet 
seen. 

66  The  truth  is,’’  added  he — chuckling  at  his  own  prowess 
_ tt  X had  myself  some  considerable  distance  to  ride  through 
a place  where  it  was  so  deep,  that  the  water  came  far  above 
my  knees.” 

On  hearing  this  assertion,  our  eyes  naturally  glanced,  in- 
credulously, to  his  nether  garments,  which  were  perfectly 
.sleek,  clean,  and  dry. 

« Oh!”  cried  he,  guessing  our  thoughts,  and  smacking  his 
thigh  with  his  hand,  “ I was  obliged  to  take  off  these  articles,” 
—naming  them — “and  by  hanging  them  over  my  shoulders,  I 
did  very  well,  as  you  perceive.” 

We  did  perceive  it  well  enough;  but  the  image  of  our  fat 
friend  struggling  through  the  bog,  with  two-thirds  of  his  legs 
immersed  in  mud,  and  his  inexpressibles  hoisted  over  his 
shoulders,  like  the  flag  of  a ship  in  distress,  union  downwards, 
was  quite  signal  enough  for  us;  and,  after  laughing  heartily, 
first  at  him,  and  then  with  him,  we  tacked  ship  in  his  com- 
pany. 


UPPER  CANADA. 


131 


We  now  retraced  our  floundering  steps;  and  having  reached 
firm  footing  once  more,  cantered  along  the  beach  of  the  lake 
for  twenty-four  miles, struck  again  into  the  depths  of  the  fo- 
rest, in  a direction  which  carried  us  to  the  eastward  of  the 
above  mentioned  marshes,  and  eventually,  after  a long  day’s 
ride- — long  at  least  for  a sailor— brought  us  to  the  banks  of 
the  Chippewa,  or  Welland  River.  By  following  the  course 
of  this  languid  stream  for  five  miles,  we  reached  the  import- 
ant eminence  known  by  the  name  of  the  Short  Hills,  which 
rises  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  peninsula  of  Niagara. 

From  this  elevated  spot,  which  is  distant  about  twelve 
miles  from  the  American  frontier,  a full  view  is  commanded 
both  of  Lake  Ontario  and  Lake  Erie;  as  well  as  of  all  the  in- 
termediate country,  both  American  and  Canadian,  adjacent 
to  the  Falls.  It  is  proposed  to  erect  upon  these  heights  an 
extensive  and  powerful  fortress,  in  place  of  the  half  dozen 
petty  batteries  or  forts  heretofore  maintained  along  the  Ni- 
agara line.  To  this  secure  military  station,  not  only  the  re- 
gular troops  in  the  country  might  be  drawn  in  time  of  war, 
but  the  provincial  militia  would  naturally  flock  to  it  as  a ral- 
lying point,  certain  of  protection,  and  confident  also  that 
their  services  would  be  turned  to  good  account,  under  com- 
petent direction,  and  veteran  companionship,  in  the  event  of 
any  threatened  invasion.  In  times  past,  from  want  of  some 
impregnable  position  of  this  kind,  the  resources  of  the  upper 
province  were  scattered  and  wasted,  instead  of  being  con- 
densed round  a common  centre  of  action.  While,  at  the 
same  time,  the  insignificant  nature  of  the  old  defences,  above 
alluded  to,  erected  on  the  very  edge  of  the  frontier,  only 
tempted  the  enemy  to  attack  them;  and  this  led,  in  its  turn, 
naturally  enough,  to  hostile  inroads  and  other  retaliations, 
which  ended  in  nothing  but  misery  and  irritation  to  both 
parties,  without  advancing  any  military  or  national  object 
one  jot. 

It  may  be  said,  indeed,  that  on  a frontier  so  extensive  as 
that  of  Niagara,  the  enemy,  in  the  event  of  a war,  would  be 
able  to  enter  Canada,  to  pass  the  projected  fortress  at  the 
Short  Hills,  and  to  lay  waste  the  country  round  about  and 
beyond  it  with  impunity.  But  I am  told  by  military  men, 
that  such  an  object  could  not  be  accomplished  without  a large 
force,  deliberately  prepared  for  the  purpose,  under  circum- 
stances that  could  not  fail  to  be  known,  and  easily  counter- 
acted. The  garrison  of  the  fort  in  question,  would  have  rea- 
dy means  of  harassing  them,  and  of  intercepting  their  march 


132 


TRAVELS  IN 


‘ with  a much  inferior  force  of  regulars,  provided,  as  may  be 
safely  reckoned  upon,  the  provincial  militia  were  mustered 
in  any  considerable  numbers,  under  the  guns  of  such  a work 
as  it  is  proposed  to  erect. 

I write  upon  this  subject  with  some  confidence,  because  I 
had  means  of  satisfying  myself  that  a more  loyal  or  deter- 
mined people  never  existed  than  the  Canadian  settlers,  or 
men  more  thoroughly  resolved  to  guard  the  blessings  they 
enjoy.  All  they  require,  as  I conceive,  is  to  be  treated  by 
the  mother  country  in  a manner  which  shall  imply,  on  our 
part,  a thorough  conviction  of  their  hearty  good-will  towards 
us.  As  one  step  towards  this  end,  and  perhaps  the  most  im- 
portant step  of  all,  I conceive  that  this  fortification,  and  one 
or  two  others,  ought  to  be  erected  forthwith;  to  show  the  Ca- 
nadians, as  well  as  their  neighbours,  that  we  are  in  earnest 
in  our  determination  to  maintain  the  integrity  of  the  colonies; 
and  likewise,  that  we  place  full  confidence  in  their  national 
good  faith  as  loyal  Englishmen, — to  all  intents  and  purposes 
as  if  Canada  were  no  farther  from  us  than  Cornwall. 

It  is  often  said,  and  perhaps  truly,  that  it  is  contrary  to  the 
genius  of  the  American  government,  to  acquire  territory  by 
open  warfare.  But  still,  the  proximity  of  the  Canadas— the 
fertile  nature  of  their  soil— the  excellence  of  their  climate — 
the  comparatively  unoccupied  nature  of  the  land — are  all 
motives,  and  very  legitimate  ones,  it  must  be  allowed,  to 
stimulate  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  to  such  a con- 
quest, independently  of  the  obvious  and  perfectly  fair  object 
of  injuring  her  enemy,  supposing  us  to  be,  unhappily,  again 
at  war. 

Nevertheless,  as  long  as  the  present  form  of  government 
exists  in  America,  there  cannot  possibly  be  an  efficient  stand- 
ing army  in  that  country  in  peace — the  only  security  for  vi- 
gorous exertions  in  war;  and  even  supposing  their  militia 
could  be  induced  to  cross  the  frontier  to  invade  the  British 
provinces,  which  experience  shows  cannot  be  easily  accom- 
plished, still,  if  the  Canadians  be  but  hearty  in  their  own 
cause,  they  will  always,  even  single-handed,  be  more  than  a 
match  for  their  invading  antagonists.  Nor  is  this  said  slight- 
ingly of  the  opposite  party,  by  any  means;  for  a similar  obser- 
vation, I conceive,  would  hold  good,  if  the  invasion  were  to 
take  the  opposite  course,  and  the  United  States  were  to  be 
attacked  by  the  Canadians. 

If,  then,  a due  degree  of  hearty  and  mutual  confidence  be 
established  between  the  Canadas  and  England — for  to  be 


UPPER  CANADA. 


133 


worth  a straw  it  must  be  mutual— and,  here  and  there,  we 
put  forward  conspicuously,  such  indisputable  symptoms  of 
our  sincerity  as  the  proposed  military  work  at  the  Short  Hills 
TCino-nm  similar  to  the  splendid  citadel  already  exe- 


reign  conquest,  and,  by  judicious  management  on  their  part 
and  on  ours,  be  made,  permanently,  as  substantially  British, 
as  the  Isle  of  Wight. 


On  the  16th  of  July,  1827*  after  a couple  of  days  of  rest, 
which  were  quite  necessary  for  me  after  two  such  long  rides, 
Mrs.  Hall  and  I set  off  on  a short  excursion,  as  we  thought, 
towards  Burlington  Bay,  at  the  western  extremity  of  Lake  On- 
tario. As  all  accounts  agreed  in  stating  the  roads  to  be  very 
bad,  and  as  our  intention  was  to  be  absent  only  a couple  of 
days,  we  accepted  the  offer  of  some  kind  friends  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  Falls  to  take  charge  of  our  child;— and  it  was 
well  we  did  so,  as  the  result  will  show. 

The  interest  of  the  trip  increased  so  much  as  we  proceed- 
ed onwards,  the  weather  was  so  beautiful,  and  we  found  our 
selves  in  scenes  so  entirely  new,  that  instead  of  a mere  jaunt 
I of  eight  and  forty  hours,  we  fairly  made  out  the  whole  dis- 
tance, through  the  woods,  from  Niagara  to  Kingston,  which 
lie  at  opposite  ends  of  Lake  Ontario.  The  whole  distance, 
including  two  excursions  to  the  interior,  was  463  miles. 
One  journey  by  land,  of  this  extent,  however,  in  that  country, 
was  quite  enough,  and  we  gladly  availed  ourselves  of  the 
steam-boat  to  return  to  the  Falls,  after  eleven  days  and  a half 
of  as  rough  travelling— I will  answer  for  it — as  any  lady  and 
gentleman  were  ever  exposed  to— from  choice. 

During  the  first  day’s  march,  on  the  1 6th  of  July,  we  en- 
countered nothing  remarkable,  unless  some  fine  scenery  be 
so  considered.  It  may,  perhaps,  sound  very  heterodox,  but 
I know  few  things  more  fatiguing,  for  a continuance,  than 
fine  scenery;  and  I suspect  most  people,  after  passing  three 
or  four  weeks  in  Switzerland,  if  they  dared  own  it,  would 


colonies  will  be  as  secure  from  fo~ 


CHAPTER  IX. 


134 


TRAVELS  IN 


say  they  were  right  glad  to  escape  into  Italy,  or  even  into 
France.  At  all  events  we  had  not  much  fatigue  of  this  kind 
to  complain  of  in  any  part  of  America;  for,  take  it  all  in 
all,  a more  unpicturesque  country  is  hardly  to  be  found 
any  where. 

On  the  next  day,  the  17th  of  July,  we  visited  an  object 
well  worthy  of  attention, — a natural  dam,  or  breakwater, 
which  lies,  as  I have  mentioned,  across  the  mouth  of  Bur- 
lington Bay,  at  the  extreme  western  end  of  Lake  Ontario. 
This  very  singular  embankment  is  six  miles  long,  nearly 
straight,  and  rises  about  12  or  15  feet  above  the  level  of  the, 
lake.  It  varies  from  40  to  100  yards  in  width,  is  formed 
entirely  of  sand,  and  covered  with  oaks.  This  grand  pier, 
or  spit,  or  key,  is  called  The  Beach,  and  is  altogether  the 
most  extraordinary  thing  of  the  kind  I ever  saw.  Within 
it  lies  a large  harbour,  five  or  six  miles  across,  and  carrying 
15  fathoms  water  in  the  middle. 

This  barrier  has,  I conceive,  been  thrown  up  by  the  waves 
of  Lake  Ontario  during  the  hard  easterly  gales,  at  which 
times,  I am  told,  the  water  is  raised  many  feet  higher  at  the 
western  end  of  the  lake,  and  proportionably  lowered  at  the 
eastern  extremity.  I know  by  experience,  that  when  it 
blows  hard,  a short,  high  sea  gets  up  in  a moment,  on  these 
lakes,  very  unpleasant  for  ships.  Heretofore  Burlington 
Bay  has  been  locked  up  by  this  great  natural  boom ; but  a 
canal  has  lately  been  cut  through  it  nearly  at  the  centre, 
the  sides  of  which  are  formed  of  a number  of  cribs  or  wood- 
en frames,  loaded  with  stones  and  sunk  to  the  bottom,  by 
which  the  wearing  away  of  the  sand  by  the  flux  and  reflux 
of  the  water,  which  is  at  times  very  rapid,  is  prevented, 
and  the  passage  kept  open.  The  entrance  is  still  farther 
secured  from  injury  by  two  piers,  formed  in  like  manner  of 
loaded  cribs:  one  of  these  piers  is  900  feet  long,  the  other 
800.  The  utility  of  this  spirited  work  has  already  begun 
to  be  felt  and  acknowledged  in  the  surrounding  country; 
and  the  whole  scene  furnishes  not  a bad  specimen  of  the 
scale  in  which  natural  objects  are  found  in  the  new 
-world. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  day,  we  made  an  acquaintance 
with  the  chief  of  an  Indian  tribe.  But  our  friend,  if  he 
.will  permit  us  to  call  him  so,  was  any  thing  but  what  the 
imagination  paints  to  itself  of  such  a character.  In  his 
speech,  dress,  manners,  and  conduct,  as  well  as  in  his 
opinions,  and  also  in  his  tastes  and  habits,  he  is  quite  an 


UPPER  CANADA. 


135 


Englishman.  He  is  the  owner  of  a landed  property,  which 
he  lives  upon  and  cultivates:  but  how  far  he  keeps  up  any 
relations  with  the  tribe  to  which  he  belongs  by  birth,  1 do 
not  exactly  know.  I should  conceive,  however,  that  a per- 
son so  circumstanced,  who  has  travelled  in  England  and 
other  countries,  and  who  certainly  has  capacity  enough  to 
profit  by  what  he  has  observed,  might  be  the  means  of  doing 
much  good  to  a race  of  whom  it  is  impossible  to  think  with- 
out a melancholy,  because  almost  a hopeless  interest. 

For  want  of  a better  conveyance,  we  were  obliged  to  tra- 
vel in  a vehicle  dignified  by  the  name  of  a wagon,  but 
which  in  fact  was  neither  more  nor  less  than  a good,  honest, 
rattling,  open  cart;  for  though  we  enjoyed  the  honour  and 
glory  of  four  wheels,  the  elasticity  of  the  supporting  wood- 
en bars  of  a convenient  enough  seat  in  the  middle,  was  a 
sorry  substitute  for  springs. 

Just  at  sunset,  when  we  were  half-way  between  two  stages, 
one  of  the  axletrees.  gave  way,  and  down  we  came  on  our 
broadside.  A dwelling  was  near  at  hand,  but  upon  trying 
the  doors,  they  were  found  all  locked,  and  no  symptoms  of 
life  were  to  be  seen  or  heard  except  dogs,  pigs,  and  cows. 
The  driver  was  at  a loss,  till  I advised  him  to  set  oft*  with 
his  horse  in  quest  of  another  cart  or  wagon;— and  there 
we  were  left,  in  the  middle  of  a Canadian  forest,  at  night- 
fall, surrounded  by  swamps  sonorous  with  innumerable  bull- 
frogs, and  by  an  atmosphere  clogged  with  noxious  vapours, 
and  clouded  with  moschetoes. 

We  had  been  quizzing  the  four-wheeled  travelling  wagon 
a little  while  before,  and  complaining  of  the  roughness  of 
the  wooden  springs;  but  we  were  right  glad,  after  an  hour’s 
delay,  to  find  ourselves  once  again  in  motion,  though  in  a 
still  less  magnificent  conveyance — literally  a common  two- 
wheeled farm  cart,  with  nothing  but  a bunch  of  straw  to 
break  the  violence  of  the  jolts,  which  sent  the  rattling  sound 
of  our  equipage,  in  dreary  echoes,  far  into  the  unexplored 
recesses  of  those  dismal  swamps. 

Next  morning  at  six  o’clock,  we  left  our  night’s  quarters, 
which  we  did  not  reach  till  ten  the  evening  before,  and 
breakfasted  at  a neat  clean  sort  of  country  inn.  The 
morning  was  cool  and  clear ; and  though  the  sun  shone  out, 
it  was  not  disagreeable,  being  merely  bright  enough  to  give 
lustre  and  cheerfulness  to  the  landscape.  When  people 
are  in  good  spirits,  every  thing  appears  to  smile. 

On  our  way  to  York,  the  Capital  of  Upper  Canada,  on 


136 


TRAVELS  IN 


the  northern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  we  made  a turn  oft*  the 
road,  to  visit  a village  recently  erected  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  Credit,  and  inhabited  by  the  tribe  of  Mississaguas. 

Till  within  the  last  three  or  four  years,  these  Indians  were 
known  in  that  part  of  Canada  as  the  most  profligate,  drunk-, 
en,  and  it  was  supposed,  irreclaimable  of  savages.  Such,  ' 
indeed,  was  their  state  of  wretchedness,  that  the  total  and 
speedy  extinction  of  the  whole  tribe  seemed  inevitable.  All 
this  was  attributed  to  other  causes  than  poverty;  for  the  an- 
nual distribution  of  goods  to  the  tribe,  either  as  a bounty 
from  the  crown,  or  as  a consideration  for  lands  which  they 
had  ceded,  was  most  ample;  whilst  their  neighbourhood  to 
populous  settlements  insured  them  a ready  market  for  their 
game  or  fish,  if  they  had  been  industriously  disposed.  They 
owned  also  a fine  tract  of  land,  reserved  for  their  exclusive 
use*  But  it  seems  they  were  lost  in  a state  of  continual  in- 
toxication, brought  on  by  drinking  the  vilest  kind  of  spirits, 
obtained  by  bartering  the  clothes  and  other  articles  annual- 
ly served  out  to  them  by  government. 

Such  a state  of  things,  of  course,  attracted  much  atten- 
tion, and  many  plans  were  suggested  for  ameliorating  their 
condition  j but  none  succeeded  m reclaiming  these  miserable 
objects,  till,  about  three  or  four  years  ago,  Sir  Peregrine 
Maitland,  then  governor  of  Upper  Canada,  conceived  the 


idea  of  domesticating*  these  Indians  on  the  banks  of  the  ri- 


ver Credit.  The  ground,  accordingly,  was  soon  cleared, 
commodious  houses  were  built,  and  implements  of  husban- 
dry, clothes,  and  other  things,  given  to  the  new  settlers. 
These  wretched  people  were  induced  to  take  this  step, 
chiefly  by  the  influence  of  a missionary  of  the  name  of 
Jones,  whose  mother  was  a Mississagua,  and  his  father  a 
white  man.  Jones,  it  appears,  had  fallen  in  with  some  per- 
sons of  the  Methodist  persuasion,  who,  with  the  zeal  and 
sagacity  by  which  they  are  so  much  distinguished,  had  im- 
parted to  him  not  only  strong  religious  feelings,  but  had 
taught  him  to  see  how  usefully  he  might  be  employed  in  re- 
claiming his  Indian  brethren  from  the  degradation  into 
which  they  had  fallen.  It  happened  fortunately,  that  just 
at  the  moment,  owing  to  some  circumstances  which  I forget, 
he  had  acquired  a considerable  degree  of  influence  amongst 
the  tribe  in  question;  and  his  own  virtuous  efforts  being  op- 
portunely seconded  by  the  government,  the  result,  so  far 
as  we  could  judge,  was  wonderful. 


UPPER  CANADA. 


137 


From  living  more  like  hogs  than  men,  these  Mississaguas 
had  acquired,  when  we  saw  them,  many  domestic  habits. 
They  had  all  neat  houses,  made  use  of  beds,  tables,  and 
chairs,  and  were  perfectly  clean  in  their  persons,  instead  of 
being  plastered  over  with  paint  and  grease.  They  were, 
also,  tolerably  well  dressed,  and  were  described  as  being  in- 
dustrious, orderly,  and,  above  all,  sober.  Most  of  the  chil- 
dren, and  a few  of  the  older  Indians,  could  read  English; 
facts  which  we  ascertained  by  visiting  their  school;  and  I 
have  seldom  seen  any  thing  more  curious.  The  whole 
tribe  profess  Christianity,  attend  divine  service  regularly, 
and,  what  is  still  more  to  the  purpose,  their  conduct  is  said 
to  be  in  character  with  their  profession.  Instead  of  hunting 
and  fishing  for  a precarious  livelihood,  they  now  cultivate 
the  ground;  and  in  place  of  galloping  off  to  the  whiskey 
shop  with  their  earnings,  lay  them  up  to  purchase  comforts, 
and  to  educate  and  clothe  their  children.  Such  at  least 
were  the  accounts  given  to  us. 

We  examined  the  village  minutely,  and  had  some  conver- 
sation with  the  schoolmaster,  a brother  of  Mr.  Jones,  the 
person  to  whose  exertions  so  much  of  the  success  of  this  ex- 
periment is  due.  The  number  of  Indians  at  the  Credit  vil- 
lage is  only  215;  but  the  great  point  gained,  is  the  fact  of 
reformation  being  possible.  The  same  feelings  and  disposi- 
tion to  improve  are  extending  rapidly,  I am  told,  amongst 
the  other  tribes  connected  with  the  Mississaguas,  and  chiefly 
amongst  the  Chippewas  of  Lake  Simcoe,  and  those  of  the 
Rice  Lake. 

I had  frequent  opportunities  afterwards,  during  the  jour- 
ney, of  conversing  with  persons  well  acquainted  with  the 
Indians  of  North  America,  and  I was  sorry  to  observe,  that 
faint  hopes  were  entertained  as  to  any  permanent  improve- 
ment being  possible  in  the  condition  of"  these  poor  people. 
When  I described  what  I had  seen  at  this  village,  the  per- 
sons I spoke  to  could  not  deny,  they  said,  that  by  the  care 
of  government,  and  especially  of  disinterested  and  zealous 
people,  willing  to  take  personal  trouble  in  teaching  them 
the  arts  of  civil  life,  they  may  be  brought,  apparently,  to  a 
considerable  state  of  civilisation;  but  that,  sooner  or  later, 
they  are  always  found  to  relapse,  when  the  hand  that  guides 
them  is  withdrawn* 

I confess  I am  unwilling  to  adopt  so  discouraging  a no- 
tion; and  I still  think,  after  all  I have  seen  and  heard,  that, 
by  some  means  or  other,  the  Indians  might  be  reclaimed. 
This,  however,  can  be  accomplished,  as  I conceive,  only  by 
allowing  them  to  mingle  with  the  whites,  to  possess  indivi- 

Yol.  i.  13 


138 


TRAVELS  IN’ 


dual  property,  as  well  as  political  rights,  and  thence  they  . 
might  come  in  time,  to  understand  the  practical  value  of  re- 
ligious and  moral  duties;  obligations  which  are  manifestly 
useless  to  such  people,  or  to  any  people,  when  preached 
merely  in  the  abstract. 

On  taking  leave  of  the  Mississaguas,  instead  of  returning 
to  the  direct  road,  we  chose  to  follow  the  course  of  the  Cre- 
dit till  it  fell  into  Lake  Ontario;  after  which  we  put  our 
heads  to  the  eastward,  and  continued  along  the  shore  near- 
ly to  York.  This  road  being  formed  of  the  trunks  of  trees  * 
laid  crosswise,  without  any  coating  of  earth  or  stones,  was 
more  abominably  jolty  than  any  thing  a European  imagina- 
tion can  conceive.  Over  these  horrible  wooden  causeways, 
technically  called  Corduroy  roads,  it  would  be  misery  to 
travel  in  any  description  of  carriage;  but  in  a wagon  or  cart 
with  nothing  but  wooden  springs,  it  is  most  trying  to  every 
joint  in  one’s  body.  A bear-skin,  it  is  true,  is  generally 
laid  on  the  seat;  but  this  slips  down,  or  slips  up — in  short 
—somehow  or  other,  the  poor  voyager’s  bones  pay  for  all, 
notwithstanding  the  tender  mercies  of  the  bear! 

The  recollection  of  such  annoyances,  however,  were  they 
twenty  times  greater,  would  vanish  beneath  the  renewed 
touch  of  agreeable  society.  On  reaching  York,  the  seat  of 
Government  of  Upper  Canada,  some  of  our  own  country- 
men whom  we  had  never  seen  before,  received  us  as  if  we 
had  been  their  dearest  friends,  and  made  us  so  heartily  wel- 
come, that  we  had  a good  opportunity  of  tasting  one  of  the 
truest  pleasures  of  travelling. 

There  is,  no  doubt,  a bright  charm  in  the  renewal  of  old 
friendships;  but  at  the  same  time,  on  a long  journey,  in  a 
distant  foreign  land,  there  is  a fine  sparkling  sort  of  fresh- 
ness in  the  active  hospitality  of  such  new  acquaintances,  of 
whom  ail  that  we  know  is  from  what  we  see,  and  as  that  is 
full  of  kindness  to  us,  and  of  anxiety  to  supply  our  wants, 
there  is  a fairy-tale  kind  of  animation  cast  over  incidents, 
which,  if  enacted  in  the  tranquil  life  of  home,  would  proba- 
bly possess  little  or  no  romantic  character. 

Our  dinner  was  laid  under  the  fly  of  a tent,  on  the  rich 
green-sward  of  a dressed  piece  of  ground,  sloping  gently  to- 
wards the  lake.  We  sat  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  house, 
so  that  by  five  o’clock  the  shadow  fell  upon  us.  The  deep 
sea-blue  surface  of  old  Ontario  was  now  quite  smooth;  for 
the  morning  breeze  had  fallen,  except  where  a few  strag- 
gling catspaws,  as  we  call  them,  here  and  there,  breathed  on 
the  face  of  the  calm  mirror,  and  straightway  disappeared. 
The  harbour,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  the  bay,  of  York, 


UPPER  CANADA, 


139 


formerly  called  Toronto, —a  name  which  it  was  a sin  to 
change,— -is  formed  by  a long  spit,  or  low  projecting  point 
of  wooded  land,  with  a light-house  at  the  end  of  it,  round 
which  one  or  two  schooners  were  slipping  with  the  last  faint 
pud's  of  the  sea-breeze,  just  enough  to  fill  their  upper  sails, 
but  without  rippling  the  water.  The  air  had  become  deli- 
ciously  cool,  and  more  grateful  than  I can  describe,  after  the 
sultry  day  to  which  we  had  been  exposed.  The  wine  was 
plunged  into  a large  vessel  filled  with  ice,  close  to -the 
table;  but  the  water  was  cooled  in  a goglet,  or  unbaked 
earthen  pitcher,  brought  from  Bengal;  the  sight  of  which, 
with  drops  like  dew  oozing  from  its  sides,  carried  my 
thoughts  far  back  to  times  when,  with  friends  now  all  gone, 
or  scattered  never  to  meet  more,  I first  learned  the  luxuries 
of  a hot  climate. 

On  the  19th  of  July,  instead  of  proceeding,  as  we  had  in- 
tended, straight  along  the  great  road  to  the  eastward,  we 
made  a sharp  turn  to  the  left,  and  travelled  for  some  thirty 
miles  directly  north  towards  Lake  Simcoe,  one  of  those  nu- 
merous sheets  of  water  with  which  Upper  Canada  is  cover- 
ed; and  destined,  no  doubt,  in  after  times,  to  afford  the 
means  of  much  valuable  intercourse  from  place  to  place, 
when  their  banks  are  peopled  and  cultivated.  Our  present 
object,  however  was  to  witness  the  annual  distribution  of 
presents,  as  they  are  called,  made  by  government  to  the  In- 
dians; the  regular  payment,  in  short  of  the  annuities,  in  con- 
sideration  of  which,  the  Indians  have  agreed  to  relinquish 
their  title  to  lands  in  certain  parts  of  the  country. 

We  remained  for  the  night  at  the  village  of  New-Market, 
the  nearest  point  to  Holland’s  landing,  the  spot  where  the 
Indians  were  encamped.  Here  we  found  ourselves  most 
kindly  taken  care  of  by  some  friends,  who,  although  they 
had  never  been  out  of  Canada,  had  learnt  to  value  and  to 
appropriate  the  comforts  of  countries  further  advanced  in 
those  refinements  which,  although  they  depend  more  upon 
mere  taste,  certainly  add  essentially  to  the  happiness  of  life 
—despise  them,  or  affect  to  despise  them,  who  may. 

Our  host  was  living  in  a most  agreeable  house,  surround- 
ed by  a large  flower  garden,  intersected  in  all  directions  by 
well-shaded  gravel  and  turf  walks.  In  one  of  the  rooms 
stood  a piano-forte,  and  plenty  of  comfortable  and  handsome 
furniture,  chiefly  of  the  bird’s  eye  maple.  From  this  apart- 
ment a single  step  placed  us  in  a verandah,  as  wide  as  the 
room  itself,  bounded  in  front  and  at  both  ends  by  trellis 
work,  so  thickly  twined  with  hop  vines,  that  the  sun,  and 
■that  gtill  more  troublesome  intruder,  the  blazing  glare  of  a 


140 


TRAVELS  IN 


red  hot  sky,  had  no  chance  for  admission,  while  the  breeze  , 
from  the  garden  easily  made  its  way,  perfumed  and  temper- 
ed like  the  sultry  winds  of  Hindoostan  after  passing  through 
those  ingenious  artificial  mattings,  called  Tatties,  formed 
of  sweet  scented  grass,  and  suspended,  dripping  wet,  before  j 
the  doors  and  windows,  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  in  the 
hotter  parts  of  India. 

I may  here  take  occasion  to  remark,  when  treating  of 
these  customs  and  other  refinements,  that  in  every  part  of 
Canada  we  found  the  inhabitants  speaking  English,  and  act- 
ing and  looking  like  Englishmen,  without  any  discernable 
difference.  The  dress  of  the  people,  also,  was  not  such  as 
to  excite  notice  by  its  difference  from  that  worn  in  London 
and,  generally  speaking,  there  was  nothing  sufficiently  pro- 
minent either  in  their  manners  or  appearance  to  distinguish 
them  from  persons" similarly  circumstanced  in  the  mother 
country.  In  the  United  States,  on  the  contrary,  as  I have 
before  hinted,  the  language,  the  thoughts,  and  even  the  tone 
of  voice,  as  well  as  the  general  appearance,  are  too  obvi- 
ously foreign  and  peculiar  to  the  country,  to  escape  notice. 

I do  not  pretend  to  say  which  of  the  two  is  the  best, — that 
is  a matter  of  mere  taste,  about  which  it  were  idle  to  dis- 
pute,-—! merely  state  the  fact,  as  it  certainly  affords  the 
grounds  of  some  remarkable  distinctions  between  these  ad- 
jacent countries,  generally,  but  erroneously,  thought  to  bear 
considerable  resemblance. 

The  scene  at  Holland’s  Landing  was  amusing  enough, 
for  there  were  collected  about  three  hundred  Indians,  with 
their  squaws  and  papooses,  as  the  woman  and  children  are 
called.  Some  of  the  party  were  encamped  under  the  brush- 
wood, in  birch-bark  wigwams,  or  huts;  but  the  greater 
number,  having  paddled  down  Lake  Simcoe  in  the  morning, 
had  merely  drawn  up  their  canoes  on  the  grass,  ready  to 
start  again  as  soon  as  the  ceremonies  of  the  day  were  over. 

The  Indian  agent  seemed  to  have  hard  work  to  arrange  the 
party  to  his  mind;  but  at  length  the  men  and  women  were 
placed  in  separate  lines,  while  the  children  lay  sprawling 
and  bawling  in  the  middle.  Many  of  the  males,  as  well  as 
females,  wore  enormous  ear-rings,  some  of  which  I found, 
upon  admeasurement,  to  be  six  inches  in  length;  and  others 
carried  round  their  necks  silver  ornaments,  from  the  size  of 
a watch,  to  that  of  a soup-plate.  Sundry  damsels,  I sup- 
pose at  the  top  of  the  fashion,  had  strung  over  them  more 
than  a dozen  of  necklaces  of  variously  stained  glass  beads. 

One  man,  I observed,  was  ornamented  with  a set  of  bones, 
described  to  me  as  the  celebrated  wampum,  of  which  every 


UPPER  CANADA. 


141 


sue  has  heard;  and  this  personage,  with  four  or  five  others, 
and  a few  of  the  women,  were  wired  in  the  nose  like  pigs, 
■with  rings  which  dangled  against  their  lips.  Such  of  the 
papooses  as  were  not  old  enough  to  run  about  and  take  care 
of  themselves,  were  strapped  up  ’n  boxes,  with  nothing  ex- 
posed but  their  heads  and  toes,  so  that  when  the  mothers 
were  too  busy  to  attend  to  their  offspring,  the  little  animals 
might  be  hooked  up  out  of  the  way,  upon  the  nearest  branch 
of  a tree,  or  placed  against  a wall,  like  a hat  or  a pair  of 
boots;  and  left  there  to  squall  away  to  their  heart’s  content. 

On  the  21st  of  July  we  left  York,  after  a good  deal  of 
trouble  in  getting  a conveyance,  owing  to  most  of  the  car- 
riages and  horses  being  engaged  at  the  sort  of  fair  we  had 
just  returned  from.  This  delay  would  have  mattered  little, 
had  we  not  been  apprehensive  of  being  caught  by  the  night, 
on  roads  of  which  the  accounts  were  not  the  most  flattering. 
At  first  we  laughed  at  these  apprehensions,  from  supposing 
that  the  previous  journey,  between  the  Credit  River  and 
York,  had  broken  us  in  for  any  high-ways  or  by-ways  we 
were  likely  to  encounter  again.  In  process  of  travelling, 
however,  as  the  daylight  faded,  our  hopes  subsided.  The 
clearer  and  airy  country  was  exchanged  for  close,  choky 
woods;  the  horrible  Corduroy  roads  again  made  their  ap- 
pearance in  a more  formidable  shape,  by  the  addition  of 
deep,  inky  holes,  which  almost  swallowed  up  the  fore 
wheels  of  the  wagon,  and  bathed  its  hinder  axle-tree.  The 
jogging  and  plunging  to  which  we  were  now  exposed,  and 
the  occasional  bang  when  the  vehicle  reached  the  bottom  of 
one  of  these  abysses,  were  so  new  and  remarkable  in  the 
history  of  our  travels,  that  we  tried  to  make  a good  joke  of 
them,  and  felt  rather  amused  than  otherwise  on  discovering, 
by  actual  experiment,  what  ground  might,  upon  a pinch,  as 
it  is  called,  be  travelled  over. 

Illustrations,  it  is  well  known,  generally  mystify  the  sub- 
ject, instead  of  clearing  it  up;  so  I shall  not  compare  this 
evening’s  drive  to  trotting  up  or  down  a pair  of  stairs,  for, 
in  that  case,  there  would  be  some  kind  of  regularity  in  the 
developement  of  the  bumps;  but  with  us  there  was  no  warn- 
ing—no  pause;  and  when  we  least  expected  a jolt,  down  we 
went  smack!  dash!  crash!  forging,  like  a ship  in  a head-sea, 
right  into  a hole  half  a yard  deep.  At  other  times,  when 
an  ominous  break  in  the  road  seemed  to.indicate  the  comma’ 
mischief,  and  we  clung,  grinning  like  grim  death,  to  the 
railing  at  the  sides  of  the  wagon,  expecting  a concussion 
which,  in  the  next  instant,  was  to  dislocate  half  the  joints 
m our  bodies^  down  we  sank  into  a bed  of  mud,  as  softly 

1.3* 


TRAVELS  IN 


142 

as  if  the  bottom  and  sides  had  been 
eur  express  accommodation. 

A little  before  sunset,  when  still  six  or  eight  miles  from 
our  sleeping  place,  we  emerged  from  the  forest,  and  found 
ourselves  most  unexpectedly  in  one  of  the  prettiest  little 
valleys  of  America.  A dark-coloured,  sleepy-looking  stream 
of  water,  called  La  Riviere  Rouge,  the  drainings,  probably, 
of  some  marsh,  was  flowing  very  slowly  past,  in  tortuous 
bends,  through  a meadow  which  was  confined  by  steep  banks 
of  red  earth,  bristled  at  top  with  underwood,  out  of  which, 
a little  removed  from  the  brink,  rose  groups  or  clusters  of 
straight-stemmed  pines,  as  far  up  and  down  the  glen  as  its 
windings  would  admit  of  our  seeing. 

The  western  part  of  the  valley  was  dropping  fast  into 
shade  as  the  sun  went  down,  while  the  opposite  side  was 
still  lighted  up,  except  at  two  or  three  places  where  the 
shadows,  having  crossed  the  stream,  were  beginning  to  ! 
creep  up  the  bank*  Accordingly,  as  far  as  masses  of  light 
and  shade,  and  variety  of  tints  and  forms  went,  the  condi- 
tions of  the  picturesque  were  liberally  supplied.  But  a 
painter,  who,  like  a farmer,  is  seldom  quite  satisfied  with  the 
gifts  of  nature  as  they  come  to  his  hand,  might  possibly  have 
wished  to  superadd  a bridge  as  a feature  to  the  landscape; 
—and  so  certainly  did  we,  though  from  a cause  unconnected 
with  the  fine  arts.  The  water,  we  found  to  our  dismay,  was 
too  deep  to  ford;  and  as  there  appeared  to  be  no  ferry-boat, 
we  were  placed  in  a most  awkward  dilemma. 

On  reaching  the  spot  where  a bridge  once  stood, 
but  stood  no  longer,  we  observed  a little  boy,  paddling  in  a 
canoe  not  twice  his  own  length,  very  busily  engaged  in 
transporting  a most  unwilling  horse  across  the  river.  We 
had  some  interest  in  this  matter,  and  watched  the  young 
captain’s  proceedings  attentively.  He  first  carried  over  the 
rider,  with  the  saddle  and  bridle,  in  his  nut-shell  vessel; 
then  returned  to  make  a rope  fast  to  the  horse’s  head,  after 
which  he  paddled  himself  back  again  to  the  opposite  shore, 
where  he  tugged  away  manfully  at  the  line,"  while  his  com- 
panion, another  little  urchin  about  ten  years  of  age,  brought 
up  the  rear,  hallooing  and  driving  the  terrified  steed  into 
the  flood. 

I must  say,  I did  not  much  admire  this  sort  of  navigation,  i 
which  looked  more  like  playing  at  ships  than  real  service; 
but  as  there  was  no  better  to  be  had,  we  plucked  up  what 
courage  we  could  muster,  and  trusted  ourselves,  one  at  a 
time,  in  our  gallant  young  commodore’s  rickety  bark,  and 
all  reached  the  other  side  in  safety.  The  next  job  was  to 


padded  with  cotton  for 


UPPER  CANADA. 


143 


ferry  the  baggage  over;  and  this  effec ted,  the  horse  was 
jiowed  across,  secundum  artem,  by  the  nose;  an  operation  of 
(some  delicacy  both  to  actors  and  spectators.  Lastly,  came 
the  transportation  of  the  wagon;  and  here  all  my  seaman- 
ship served  only  to  show  the  hazard  incurred  of  losing  the 
whole  conveyance.  If  the  rope,  which  was  what  we  call  at 
sea  inch  and  a half  line,  or  ratlin  stuff,  but  old  and  much 
worn,  had  given  way,  as  I fully  expected  it  would,  when 
the  wagon  was  half  channel  over,  and  nothing  in  sight  but 
four  or  five  inches  of  the  railing  above  the  water,  we  must 
have  bivouac’d  where  we  were,  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Rouge,  or  Roosh,  as  it  is  called,  which,  however  pictu- 
resque, was  not  exactly  the  place  we  should  have  selected 
for  our  night’s  quarters. 

Fortunately  we  succeeded  in  dragging  the  carriage  across, 
and  when  the  fore  wheels  fairly  touched  the  bank,  I thought, 
of  course,  that  all  our  difficulties  were  over.  But  the  united 
strength  of  all  the  party,  males  and  females,  young  and  old, 
combined,  could  not  budge  it  more  than  a foot  out  of  the 
water.  I don’t  know  what  we  should  have  done,  had  we 
not  spied,  near  the  landing  place,  a fathom  or  two  of  chain, 
one  end  of  which  our  active  little  commanding  officer  soon 
tied  to  the  carriage,  and  the  horse  being  hitched,  as  the 
Americans  term  it,  to  the  other,  we  drew  it  triumphantly  to 
]and,  with  a cheer  which  made  the  forest  ring  again. 

The  rest  of  that  evening’s  journey  was,  of  course,  made 
in  the  dark,  and  we  reached  our  sleeping  place  fatigued'  to 
the  last  gasp. 

Next  morning,  the>22d  of  July,  we  started  betimes,  in 
hopes  of  reaching  Cobourg  to  dinner— alas!  a vain  expecta- 
tion—for,  though  the  distance  was  only  forty-three  miles,  it 
cost  us  thirteen  hours  of  as  rough  travelling  as  ever  was 
performed  by  wheeled  carriage. 

We  had  resolved  to  take  advantage  of  every  minute  of 
daylight,  and  therefore  arranged  matters  for  travelling  six- 
teen miles  before  breakfast.  These  sort  of  resolutions  look 
beautiful  at  the  time  they  are  made  over  night,  but  their  ac- 
complishment presses  heavily  on  the  vigour  of  the  traveller 
next  morning.  At  least  so  it  proved  with  us;  for  after 
jogging  and  jolting  along  for  nine  miles,  in  the  cool,  hungry 
air  of  the  morning,  we  became,  to  tell  the  truth,  very  ra- 
venous, and  being  anxious  to  disengage  our  minds  from  any 
thoughts  of  breakfast,  we  set  about  admiring  the  scenery, 
and  speculating  at  a great  rate  on  the  wonders  and  beauties 
of  nature.  At  times  also,  by  way  of  variety,  we  amused 


TRAVELS  IN 


144 


ourselves  by  considering  the  lonely  position  we  occupied — » 
adrift  in  the  depths  of  an  American  forest — far  from  friends 
and  home,  and  so  forth;  when  suddenly,  to  our  great  asto- 
nishment, a voice  was  heard  from  the  woods,  calling  out, 

“ Captain  Hall!  Captain  Hall!’’ 

Here  was  a fairy  tale,  indeed!  but  the  voice  was  certainly 
that  of  a mortal,  and  one  of  the  most  friendly  and  opportune 
that  ever  saluted  the  ear. 

u 0!”  continued  the  voice,  <£  you  must  not  pass  my  cot- 
tage; you  must  come  in  and  take  breakfast.  Driver,  turn 
about — -here’s  the  gate.’’ 

The  cottage  which  we  now  approached  was  a small,  neat, 
pleasant-looking  dwelling,  with  shrubs  and  flowers  before 
it,  planted  with  much  taste.  Over  the  door  was  plaited  a 
gothic  sort  of  arch,  or  canopy  of  green  boughs,  interspersed 
with  roses,  quite  recently  put  up,  as  if  to  grace  the  arrival 
of  some  stranger.  And  so  it  proved;  for  we  learnt  from  the 
young  ladies,  that  their  father,  our  kind  host,  who  had  been 
absent  for  some  months,  and  returned  only  the  day  before, 
had  been  welcomed  home  by  his  friendly  neighbours  with 
such  simple  honours  as  the  scene  afforded — bonfires, 
musketry,  and  dancing;  while  his  own  family,  not  to  be  out- 
done, wattled  up  hastily  the  tasteful  little  awning  I spoke 
of,  and  robbed  their  garden  of  all  its  roses  to  embellish  it. 

I now  began  to  remember  that  I had  met  my  friend,  some 
weeks  before,  near  the  Falls,  and  he  readily  accounted  for 
knowing  who  we  were,  by  saying,  that  except  when  the 
snow  is  on  the  ground,  travellers  by  land  in  Upper  Canada 
are  very  rare;  and  as  he  knew  we  must  be  passing  about 
this  time,  he  had  for  some  days  been  on  the  look-out  for  us. 

A delicious  breakfast  was  soon  smoking  on  the  table;  but 
before  we  began,  our  excellent  host  drew  on  his  spectacles, 
opened  the  family  Bible,  and  read  a chapter;- — after  which, 
he  prayed  extempore,  in  the  best  Presbyterian  style  of  sol- 
emnity and  reverence. 

When  the  hungry  edge  of  appetite  was  taken  off,  we  had 
time  to  look  about  us,  and  I was  struck  with  the  appearance 
of  a piano-forte,  which  occupied  one  end  of  the  little  apart- 
ment, and  with  a book-case  filled  with  finely  bound  works; 
these  things,  together  with  some  pictures,  and  other  minor 
ornaments,  more  than  usual  in  such  a place,  seemed  to  tell 
of  former  prosperity  in  busier  scenes.  But  we  asked  no 
questions — took  the  good  that  was  given  us — interchanged 
many  kind  wishes  for  the  future— and  parted — probably 
never  to  meet,  or  to  hear  of  one  another,  again, 


!; 


UPPER  CANADA. 


145 

The  whole  looked  like  a dream  when  we  found  ourselves 
once  more  on  the  road,  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful  sunny 
mornings  I ever  beheld. 

We  had  not  proceeded  many  miles  before  we  came  to  an 
open  space  of  level  ground,  covered  sparingly  with  young 
trees,  but  with  little  or  no  forest,  properly  so  called,  visible 
in  any  direction, — though  from  what  caprice  of  nature  this 
change  in  the  scenery  had  occurred,  I know  not.  In  the 
scanty  shade  of  some  birches,  on  our  right  hand,  we  observed 
a party  in  a wagon,  all  dressed  in  their  Sunday’s  finery, 
and  near  them  four  or  five  other  groups,  just  alighted,  en- 
gaged in  detaching  their  horses,  arranging  their  clothes,  and 
otherwise  adjusting  their  looks,  as  if  preparatory  to  some 
ceremony.  At  first  we  fancied  this  was  a junketing  party, 
but  were  soon  undeceived  by  hearing  the  distant,  long- 
drawn  sound  of  a psalni  tune  floating  amongst  the  trees — 
and  vve  now  discovered  that  the  population  of  the  surround- 
ing country  had  assembled  for  a camp,  or  field  preaching. 

We  immediately  dismounted,  and  struck  into  the  grove 
from  whence  these  sounds  issued,  the  way  being  pointed  out 
by  dismantled  travelling  wagons,  gigs,  and  saddle  horses, 
tied  to  the  trees.  Presently  we  came  to  parties  of  women 
and  children,  scattered  about  here  and  there  on  the  grass; 
and  at  last  we  reached  the  Forest  Temple  itself.  The  spot 
had  been  selected  from  its  affording  a natural  amphitheatre, 
where  a casual  opening  of  about  twenty  yards  in  diameter 
had  been  left,  as  if  on  purpose,  amongst  the  birch  and  beech 
trees,  which,  though  young,  were  tall  and  leafy,  and,  by 
their  branches  nearly  meeting  over  head,  had  formed  a 
screen,  close  enough  to  exclude  all  glare  and  heat.  The 
neighbouring  ground,  however,  was  thickly  spangled  with 
patches  of  sunlight  in  every  direction,  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  penetrate.  Similar  touches  of  gold  on  many  of  the 
stems,  and  on  the  still  leaves-— for  it  was  a dead  calm,  and 
the  air  hazy  and  glowing  with  heat— gave,  when  viewed 
through  the  shade,  a rich,  quiet  tone  to  the  whole  scene, 
very  suitable,  I thought,  to  the  occasion. 

The  pulpit  consisted  of  a rude  platform,  supported,  at  the 
height  of  about  ten  feet,  by  the  trunks  of  three  or  four  trees, 
which  happened  to  be  standing  in  so  convenient  a position, 
that  not  a single  branch  appeared  to  have  been  lopped  off. 
The  preacher,  a tall,  sallow,  anxious-looking  man,  of  the 
Methodist  persuasion,  as  we  were  informed,  was  dressed  in 
a loose  surtout  coat  of  a purple  colour, |with  a yellow  silk 
handkerchief  tied  round  his  head.  In  this  respect,  there- 
fbre?  it  may  be  thought,  he  was  not  a very  clerical-looking 


146 


TRAVELS  IN 


figure;  but  there  was  no  want  of  solemnity  in  essentials,  j 
either  in  appearance  or  in  manner,  or,  what  was  of  more  j 
consequence,  in  the  matter  of  his  discourse.  Three  other 
persons  were  seated  on  the  platform  near  the  preacher,  who 
.alone  was  standing.  The  congregation,  to  the  number  of 
two  hundred,  were  ranged  in  lines  of  about  twenty  in  each 
on  seats,  formed  of  stones,  or  logs  of  wood;  the  women  on 
one  hand,  and  the  men  on  the  other;  while  the  outskirts,  as 
I before  mentioned,  were  occupied  by  women,  and  such  j 
children  as  were  too  young  to  be  edified  by  the  service,  or 
too  noisy  and  untractable  to  be  admitted  into  the  circle. 

I observed  also  several  straggling  parties  of  visiters,  like 
ourselves,  who  appeared  not  to  belong  to  the  regular  con* 
gregation,  and  did  not  intrude  within  the  circumference  of 
this  silvan  cathedral.  j . 

We  were  too  late  to  hear  the  psalm  close  at  hand:  but 
perhaps  the  effect  was  better,  coming  we  hardly  knew  from  j 
whence.  The  sermon,  however,  which  we  did  hear,  was 
simple  in  its  expression,  unaffected  in  delivery,  and  though 
not  remarkable  in  any  respect,  fell  on  the  ears  of  a most  at- 
tentive  audience. 

In  those  wild  regions,  where  no  towns,  and  not  many  vil- 
lages, are  yet  to  be  found,  places  of  regular  worship  are  ne- 
cessarily few  and  far  between,  and  these  itinerant  preachers, 
in  spite  of  some  occasional  extravagances,  must,  upon  the 
whole,  do  good.  It  seems  somewhat  indiscreet,  therefore, 
to  say  the  least  of  it,  to  hold  such  meetings,  as  a matter  of 
eourse,  in  derision.  At  all  events,  so  it  struck  us  this  morn- 
ing— and  we  left  the  simple  church  in  the  wilderness  with 
feelings  of  the  truest  respect  for  all  the  parties  concerned. 

It  is  in  vain— and  in  truth  it  would  be  useless — to  deny, 
that  the  associations  of  place,  and  the  pomp  of  circumstance, 
do  help  these  feelings  in  a considerable  degree — 

sc  But  even  the  faintest  relics  of  a shrine 

66  Of  aiiy  worship  wake  some  thoughts  divine;” 

and  I am  sure  that  a person  who  could  have  witnessed  such 
a scene  as  this,  and  not  have  had  some  thoughts  of  a more 
solemn  character  awakened,  must  have  been  insensible  in- 
deed. 

I speak  less,  however,  with  respect  to  people  who  have 
had  ample  opportunities  of  attending  church  all  their  lives, 
titan  of  that  large  class  of  persons  in  the  country  through 
which  we  were  travelling,  many  of  whom,  but  for  such  occa- 
sions as  this,  would  otherwise  be  left  altogether  without  pub- 


UPPER  CANADA, 


147 


lie  worship.  For  we  can  easily  believe,  that  in  the  midst  of 
the  woods,  where  the  population  are  employed  all  the  week 
long  at  hard  labour,  and  the  neighbourhood  is  but  scantily 
settled,  there  can  be  very  little  or  none  of  that  example,  or 
that  public  opinion,  which  are  found  so  efficacious  elsewhere, 
to  encourage  good  morals,  and  to  check  bad  habits.  Under 
such  circumstances,  there  will,  almost  of  necessity,  be  little 
attention  paid  to  those  duties  which  ought  to  be  paramount 
to  all  others,  but  which  often  require,  unfortunately,  most 
encouragement  and  assistance  where  the  means  of  lending 
such  aids  are  smallest.  Every  thing,  therefore,  which  stk 
! mulates  people  to  come  together  expressly  for  such  a pur- 
; pose— no  matter  how  absurd  the  manner  may  sometimes  be 
; in  which  the  service  is  conducted — must  prove  beneficial; 
i since  it  cannot  fail  to  send  the  hearers  back  to  their  homes 
not  less  fitted  for  the  ordinary  business  of  life,  and  certain- 
ly in  a better  frame  of  mind  to  consider  attentively  the  na- 
ture of  those  higher  obligations,  without  which  even  the 
closest  observance  of  all  our  moral  duties  will  go  for  little. 


CHAPTER  X. 


It  was  late  before  rve  reached  the  town  of  Cobourg,  where, 
fortunately,  we  fell  into  the  hands  of  people  of  sense  and 
consideration,  who  allowed  us  to  drop  quietly  into  bed, 
without  overloading  us  with  attentions.  This  was  the  more 
necessary,  as  wTe  had  been  hard  at  work,  with  little  inter- 
mission, for  six  days,  and  had  now  a fresh  excursion  arranged 
for  the  next  day  to  a newly-settled  part  of  the  country,  north 
of  Cobourg,  at  some  distance  up  the  Otanabee  River,  which, 
as  every  one  of  course  knows,  runs  into  the  Rice  Lake. 
Our  object  was  to  visit  the  settlement  formed  by  the  Irish 
emigrants,  sent  to  Canada  by  Government  in  the  year  1825, 
only  two  years  before.  We  wished  to  ascertain,  if  we  could, 
what  was  their  present  condition,  and  whether  this  experi- 
ment,— for  it  professedly  was  one,— had  succeeded  or  not. 

Accordingly,  we  rose  at  three  o’clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  23d  of  July,  1827,  and  reached  our  destination,  the 
newly  erected  village  of  Peterborough,  thirty  miles  north  of 
Cobourg,  at  half  past  seven  in  the  evening,  more  dead  than 
alive  with  fatigue.  Thirty  miles  looks  a short  distance  on 
paper,  or  on  a Macadamised  road ; but  in  making  a cross  cut 


148 


TRAVELS  IN’ 


in  Canada  at  midsummer,  it  is  a very  different  affair  indeed. 
The  first  twelve  miles  were  by  land;  and  when  we  had  got 
half  way,  the  wagon  broke  down ; but  fortunately,  it  was 
in  our  power  to  repair  the  mischief,  by  knotting  a couple  cf 
silk.hand kerchiefs  together,  which,  by  the  by,  upon  such  oc-  j 
casions,  made  a very  good  rope.  At  a cottage  on  the  south  i 
bank  of  the  Rice  Lake,  we  feasted  on  some  freshly-caught,  i 
very  capital  fish,  called  mascanongie;  after  which  we  em- 
barked in  a little  ticklish,  incommodious  punt,  such  as  I 
have  seen  used  on  the  Thames,  by  worthy  citizens  bobbing 
for  eels.  Our  passage  across,  however,  was  by  no  means 
so  smooth  as  that  of  the  silver  stream  alluded  to;  and  I,  for 
one,  felt  no  particular  comfort  when  an  awkw7ard  bubble  of 
a sea  set  us  a-rolling  from  side  to  side,  at  a place,  too,  where 
our  progress  w7as  retarded  by  the  oars  getting  entangled  in 
the  long  grassy  leaves  of  a spontaneous  rice  crop,  spread 
like  net-work  over  one  half  of  the  lake,  to  which,  from  that 
circumstance,  it  gives  the  name. 

We  at  last  entered  the  Otanabee  without  a capsize,  which 
was  more  than  I expected,  and  there  we  commenced  a long 
and  severe  day’s  w ork  of  tugging  at  the  oars  against  a down- 
ward  current.  This  river  winds  about  in  a most  complica- 
ted manner;  but  it  is  every  where  singularly  beautiful,  from 
the  richness  of  the  verdure,  and  the  form  as  well  as  magni-  , 
tude  of  the  trees,  which  not  only  cover  the  banks,  but  actu- 
ally grow  for  many  yards  into  the  water,  so  as  to  make  it 
somewhat  difficult  at  most  places  to  reach  the  firm  shore.  , 
In  the  middle  of  the  day  we  landed  at  a cleared  spot,  to  rest 
the  wearied  boatmen,  as  well  as  to  stretch  our  own  limbs,  j 
sadly  cramped  and  twisted  in  such  a diminutive  vessel.  We 
took  this  opportunity  of  dining  on  a monstrous  chicken-pie, 
which  our  considerate  friends  had  told  us  would  serve  for 
ballast;  but,  alas!  there  was  no  enjoyment,  for,  like  Polo-  ; 
nius,  we  did  not  so  much  eat,  as  w7ere  eaten — by  mosquitoes,  i 
— w;hich  attacked  us  so  vigorously,  that  vje  were  fain  to  get 
once  more  afloat,  into  the  breeze,  out  of  their  reach. 

There  were  2024  settlers  sent  out  by  Government  in  1825, 
at  the  total  cost  of  £ 21,  5s.  4d.  per  head;  each  family  being 
supplied  with  provisions  for  fifteen  months,  and  a hundred 
acres  of  land,  besides  a cow,  and  other  minor  aids.  They 
were  selected  generally  as  being  the  most  destitute,  and  in- 
capable of  providing  for  themselves  or  their  families,  in  their 
own  country.  The  object  of  the  experiment  was  to  show 
how  far  it  v7as  possible  to  make  those  useless  or  worse  than 
useless  and  miserable  beings,  good  subjects  of  his  Majesty. 

It  was  an  object,  also,  to  ascertain  at  what  cost  their  happi- 


UPPER  CANADA. 


149 


ness  and  respectability  could  be  secured  in  Canada,  com- 
pared with  the  expense  of  maintaining  them  in  a wretched 
State  of  discontent  and  turbulence  at  home.  Thus  to  show 
the  public  generally,  but  more  particularly  those  landed  pro- 
prietors whose  estates  were  overpeopled,  and  also  gentlemen 
whose  parishes  were  overloaded  with  paupers,  in  what  man- 
ner, and  for  what  outlay  of  money,  they  might  relieve  their 
own  burdens,  and  benefit  the  unhappy  persons  who  were  the 
involuntary  cause  of  the  evil. 

The  details  of  the  whole  of  this  very  curious  experiment, 
both  as  to  the  management  and  the  expenses,  have  been  pla- 
ced so  fully  before  the  public  in  the  Parliamentary  Reports, 
and  in  the  evidence  before  the  Emigration  Committee,  that 
I need  not  go  into  those  branches  of  the  subject  Any  one 
who  is  interested  will  find  ample  information  on  the  subject 
of  the  two  emigrations  of  1823,  and  1825,  in  the  Third  Re 
port  of  the  Emigration  Committee,  ordered  to  be  printed  by 
the  House  of  Commons  on  the  29th  of  June,  1827.  I refer 
particularly  to  the  evidence  of  Mr.  Peter  Robinson,  page 
344. 

My  purpose  was  to  find  out  what  the  settlers  themselves 
had  to  say  upon  the  matter;  for  I confess  I was  somewhat 
incredulous  of  the  flaming  accounts  given  in  England  with, 
respect  to  it.  I think  I had  as  ample  means  of  investigating 
this  question  as  could  have  been  desired,  and  my  conciu- 
sion  was,  that  the  experiment  had  been  eminently  success- 
ful, as  far  as  the  happiness  and  the  respectability  of  the  par- 
ties themselves  were  concerned,  and  as  far  as  it  was  a 
principal  object,  as  it  mu3t  have  been,  that  the  emigrants 
should  turn  out  loyal  and  grateful  subjects  of  their  King. 

I went,  during  my  stay,  as  much  as  possible  amongst  the 
settlers— frequently  alone,  sometimes  with  the  agent,  and 
several  times  with  the  clergyman,  f had  also  many  oppor- 
tunities of  conversing  with  gentlemen  entirely  unconnected 
with  Government,  who  had  lived  in  the  neighbourhood,  du- 
ring the  whole  progress  of  the  emigration  establishment  or 
colony  at  Peterborough.  They,  of  course,  had  it  in  their 
power  to  describe,  more  distinctly  than  the  settlers  them- 
selves could  do,  the  leading  circumstances  of  this  interest- 
ing experiment.  The  accounts  derived  from  this  source, 
uniformly  agreed  in  describing  the  condition  of  the  emigrants 
as  most  satisfactory,  and  the  project  as  successful  in  all  its 
parts;  or  if  there  had  been  any  thing  injudicious,  it  consisted 
in  giving  people  accustomed  to  very  scanty  fare,  too  ample 
an  allowance  of  food.  This  over-indulgence  not  only  hurt 
the  health  of  the  people,  but  tended  in  some  degree  to  slack- 

Yol.  i,  14 


150 


TRAVELS  IN 


en  the  individual  exertions  of  the  settlers  to  maintain  them- 
selves. 

The  emigrants  were  scattered  over  such  an  extensive  dis- 
trict of  country,  that  I found  it  impossible  to  visit  them  all 5 
but  I endeavoured,  by  riding  from  place  to  place,  and  call- 
ing upon  the  people  without  warning,  to  acquire  a general 
conception  of  what  was  really  going  on. 

It  was  curious  to  observe  that  most  of  these  settlers,  how- 
ever destitute  they  may  notoriously  have  been  in  Ireland, 
always  contrived  to  evade  any  acknowledgment  of  this 
fact,  when  direct  questions  were  put  to  them,  and  seemed 
rather  to  wish  I should  believe  they  had  been  very  well  off 
at  home.  But  with  a degree  of  inconsistency,  creditable 
enough,  by  the  way,  they  were  invariably  thrown  off  their 
guard  when  asked,  in  plain  terms,  whether  or  not  they  were 
sensible  of  the  kindness  shown  them.  Upon  these  occasions 
they  spoke  in  the  strongest  terms  of  gratitude  of  what  had 
been  done  for  them  by  Government;  and  often,  quite  for- 
getting their  former  disavowels,  described  with  character- 
istic animation  the  transition  from  their  past  situation  to 
their  present  happy  condition.  What  I thought  very  odd, 
no  complaints  ever  met  my  ear,  of  any  omissions  on  the  part 
of  Government.  On  the  contrary,  they  told  me  that  every 
want  had  been  attended  to. 

“Even  to  the  value  of  that  gimlet,”  said  one  of  the  set- 
tlers to  me,  £‘  we  are  obligated  to  the  King — God  bless  him! 
and  we  shall  bring  up  our  children  to  know  what  has  been 
done  for  us  and  for  them — and  to  be  loyal  subjects  of  his 
Majesty,  whatever  happens,  like  as  we  ourselves; — and  good 
reason,  too,  for  we  have  been  taken  from  misery  and  want, 
and  put  into  independence  and  happiness.” 

I found  it  much  the  best  way,  with  these  odd  fellows,  to 
get  mj  information  by  going,  as  it  were,  carelessly  to  work 
—beating  about  the  bush — and  thus  by  gradually  leading 
them  around  to  speak  freely  of  their  own  concerns,  to  give 
them  an  interest  in  being  sincere  and  communicative. 
When  such  precautions  were  not  used,  the  time  spent  in 
conversing  with  them,  was  generally  thrown  away,  except 
as  far  as  amusement  went. 

The  agent  happened  one  day  to  meet  an  old  man  in  the 
village,  and  knowing  him  to  be  a shrewd  person,  and  well 
informed  upon  all  that  had  passed,  he  thought  his  conversa- 
tion might  serve  my  purposes.  He  therefore  said  to  the 
emigrant  that  a gentleman  had  arrived  who  wished  to  put 
some  questions  to  him.  The  old  boy  immediately  took  alarm, 

“ lest,”  as  he  said,  “the  gentleman  had  come  to  interfere 


UPPER  CANADA. 


151 


with  his  property,  or  to  bother  him  in  some  way,  he  did  not 
know  what.  ” 

44  What  shall  I say  to  the  gentleman,  sir  ?”  was  his  first 
question. 

44  Why,  Cornelius,”  said  the  agent, 44  tell  the  truth.” 

44  O yes,  sir,  I know  that  very  well — of  course  we  must 
always  tell  the  truth— -but  if  I only  knew  what  the  gentle- 
man "wanted,  I would  know  which  way  to  answer.” 

44  I don’t  know  what  you  mean,  Cornelius,”  said  the 
agent. 

44  0,  sir!  you  know  quite  well  what  I mean.— Should  I 
overstate  matters,  sir,  or  should  I understate  them? — ’Shall 
I make  things  appear  better  or  worse  than  they  are  ?” 

Not  being  able,  however,  to  worm  out  of  the  agent  what 
was  wished,  and  yet  feeling  anxious  to  get  to  the  bottom  of 
the  matter,  he  could  not  resist  the  temptation  of  coming  to 
me,  though  sorely  distrusting  the  object  of  my  scrutiny. 

For  a long  time  he  eluded  all  my  interrogatories  with  great 
address.— -He  could  not  say  whether  or  not  he  were  better 
off  now  than  he  had  been  at  home,  though  he  admitted  that 
here  he  was  master  of  a large  free  property,  and  in  Ireland 
he  had  only  a farm,  the  rent  of  which,  by  his  own  confession! 
he  had  never  been  able  to  pay. 

44  Would  you  like,  then,”  I asked, 44  to  be  put  down  in, 
Ireland  again,  Mr.  Cornelius,  just  as  you  were?” 

44 1 would,  sir.” 

44  Then  why  don’t  you  go  ? Who  hinders  you  ?” 

44  Because,  sir,”  said  he,  44  because  of  the  boys.” 

44  What  of  the  boys?”  I asked. 

44  O,  it’s  because  my  two  sons  like  this  country  very  well, 
they  have  chopped  twenty  acres  of  land,  and  we  have  got 
crops  of  wheat  and  oats,  and  Indian  corn,  and  potatoes,  and 
some  turnips— all  coming  up  and  almost  ready  to  cut,*  be- 
sides five  or  six  more  acres  chopped  and  logged,  and  soon  to 
be  in  cultivation;  and  the  boys  like  their  independence.  In 
short,  sir,  it  is  a fine  country  for  a poor  man,  if  he  be  in- 
dustrious; and,  were  it  not  for  the  ague,  a good  country,  and 
a rich  one;  though,  to  be  sure,  it  is  rather  out  of  the  way, 
and  the  roads  are  bad,  and  the  winter  very  cold;  yet  there 
is  always  plenty  to  eat,  and  sure  employment  and  good  pay 
lor  them  that  like  to  work.” 

Thus  he  rambled  on,  antithetically  praising  and  disprais- 
ing the  country;  fearful  at  one  time  of  saying  too  much,  and 
yet  feeling  that,  in  his  circumstances,  too  much  could  hard- 
ly be  said  in  its  favour,  and  evidently  not  a little  apprehen- 
sive of  the  impression  his  eloquence  was  to  make  upon  the 


152 


travels  irr 


traveller— -a  nondescript  sort  of  character  he  had  not  seen  in 
the  woods  before. 

I wished  to  know  if  he  felt  grateful  to  Government  for 
having  sent  him  and  his  family  out  to  Canada  free  of  expense, 
and  given  him  so  much  land  and  provisions  gratis  ? He  was 
completely  taken  aback  by  the  directness  of  the  appeal,  and 
exclaimed  in  a sort  of  shout, — 

44  0!  yes,  to  be  sure  I am!  we  owe  every  thing  in  the 
world  to  the  Government— that  is,  to  the  King,  his  Maiestv* 
long  life  to  him!5’  & J ‘ 

But  in  the  next  instant,  fearing,  I suppose,  that  I was  to 
take  advantage  of  this  unqualified  admission,  he  drew  up 
and  said  with  studied  gravity, — 

44  For  all  that,  I might  have  done  very  well  in  Ireland.” 
.“Why  the  plague,  then,”  I asked,  44  did  you  remove  to 
America?” 

44  0ch,  sir,”  cried  he,  laughing  and  harping  on  the  old 
string,  44  it  was  all  entirely  owing  to  the  boys.  They  were 
not  content  I should  be  left  without  them,  and  I was  not 
content  they  should  go  without  me.  Their  mother — God 
bless  her — I buried  long  ago,  and  I never  consented  to  put 
another  woman  over  them.  In  short,  sir,  we  were  resolved 
to  go  together,  and  here  we  are,  very  happy  and  contented, 
and  here  we’ll  all  remain.” 

On  the  24th  of  July,  I took  a long  ride,  pretty  much  at 
random,  amongst  the  settlers;  and  in  the  course  of  my  tra- 
vels, lighted  on  several  older  establishments,  which  I wras 
glad  of,  as  it  enabled  me  to  form  a comparison  with  the  re- 
cent settlements,  about  which  I was  more  immediately  con- 
cerned. One  of  these  amused  me  a good  deal.  It  belonged, 
to  an  old  Scotsman  from  Banff,  with  a jolly  red  nose,  in 
shape  and  colour  like  the  sweet  potato  of  that  country;  a 
prosing  old  body,  who  brightened  up,  however,  amazingly 
when  I told  him  where  I came  from;  and  I had  much  ado  to 
escape  a sound  dose  of  whisky  which  he  wished  to  force  upon 
me  for  countryman-sake. 

It  was  two  o’clock  before  we  reached  the  Clearing,  as  it 
is  called,  of  one  of  the  most  active  of  all  the  emigrants  of 
1825.  He  was  not  at  home,  but  his  wife  did  the  honours  of 
her  shanty,  or  log-hut,  with  much  of  that  affability  and  ge- 
nuine good-breeding  which  belong  to  the  Irish.  She  intro- 
duced her  three  eldest  sons  to  me — lads  of  twenty,  eighteen, 
and  sixteen  years  of  age;  besides  a great  fry  of  young  ones, 
boys  and  girls,  in  all  eleven.  From  November  1825,  to  this 
period,  July  1827,  they  had  cleared,  I think,  twenty-six 
acres  of  land,  most  of  which  were  under  rich  cultivation. 


UPPER  CANADA. 


153 


I may  take  occasion  to  mention  at  this  place,  that  each  of 
the  families  sent  out  by  Government,  in  1825,  when  loca- 
ted, as  the  term  is,  on  their  land,  were  supplied  with  vari- 
ous necessary  articles  to  assist  them,  which  cost,  indepen- 
dently of  the  expenses  of  passage  out  and  all  other  incident- 
al outlays,  about  £ 12  per  head;  or  60  for  a family  of  one 
man  and  woman,  and  three  children. 

Mr.  Peter  Robinson,  in  his  Evidence  before  the  Commit- 
tee of  the  House  of  Commons,  8d  Report,  p.  349,  gives  the 
following  list:  “ Each  head  of  a family  is  to  be  located  upon 
100  acres  of  land,  to  have  a small  log-house  built  for  him, 
and  to  be  furnished  with  15  months  provisions;  1 cow,  1 
American  axe,  1 auger,  1 handsaw,  1 pickaxe,  1 spade,  2 
gimlets,  100  nails,  1 hammer,  1 iron  wedge,  3 hoes,  1 ket- 
tle, 1 frying-pan,  1 iron  pot,  5 bushels  of  seed  potatoes,  8 
quarts  of  Indian  corn;  and  if  they  are  very  poor,  they  will 
require  also  blankets,  in  the  proportion  of  one  to  each 
grown  person,  and  one  among  three  children. 

The  size  of  the  shanties,  or  log-huts,  put  up  at  the  ex= 
pense  of  Government,  may  be  conceived,  when  I mention, 
that  two  men,  accustomed  to  the  use  of  the  axe,  can  ma- 
nage to  cut  down  the  trees,  prepare  the  logs,  put  them  up, 
roof  the  house,  and  complete  the  whole  establishment,  in 
two  days.  I should  say  the  dimensions  of  this  particular 
dwelling  were  twenty  feet  long  by  twelve  wide,  and  seven 
feet  high.  The  roof  was  formed  of  logs  split  into  four 
lengths,  then  hollowed  out,  and  laid  with  the  concave  and 
the  convex  sides  alternately  upwards  and  downwards,  so  as 
to  overlap  one  another,  like  long  tiles,  sloping  from  the 
ridge  to  the  eves,  so  that  each  alternate  log  formed  a gut- 
ter or  channel,  to  carry  of  the  rain.  The  openings  between 
the  logs  forming  the  walls  were  closed  by  mud  and  moss 
mixed  together;  and  sometimes  these  shanties  had  a window, 
sometimes  not. 

Unless  I could  put  down  the  exact  words  used  by  this 
good  lady  and  her  family,  I should  convey  no  just  idea  of 
the  extent  of  their  gratitude  for  the  advantages  they  had  re- 
ceived. It  was  not  possible,  she  said,  to  express  how  en- 
tirely satisfied  they  were  with  their  present  lot,  or  how  com- 
pletely Government  had  provided  for  all  their  wants,  and 
enabled  them  to  start  fair  in  this  new  world.  I tried  by 
various  questions  to  get  her  to  make  complaints,  and  to  say 
they  stood  in  need  of  something;  but  I could  not  elicit  a 
single  dissatisfied  expression. 

“ Some  of  the  family — most  of  them,  indeed,”  she  said, 
liad  been  ill  with  the  ague;  but  there  was  a doctor  not  far 

14  * 


154 


TRAVELS  IN 


off,  and  this  present  season  was  more  healthy,  and  they  were 
now  better.  They  had  also  plenty  to  eat,  and  had  more 
clothing  than  they  had  ever  been  accustomed  to;  and,  in 
short,  were  all  doing  well.” 

The  children  crowded  round  to  listen  to  this  dialogue, 
and  sometimes  to  put  in  a word.  They  were  neat  ani  ] 
clean,  and  though  their  dress  was  scanty,  they  were  not  I 
shabbily  clad.  I sat  on  a great  chest  four  feet  long,  and  i 
nearly  a yard  high;  from  which  elevation  I could  see  another 
still  larger  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  house.  In  these  huge  ' 
boxes  they  had  brought  all  their  crockery,  and  little  finery 
of  furniture— no  great  matter,  I presume — from  Ireland. 

On  the  side  of  the  room,  fronting  the  door,  three  beds  were 
placed  in  a line,  touching  one  another,  and  occupying  the 
whole  length  of  the  establishment.  But  I did  not  push  my  ; 
inquiries  any  further,  as  to  the  principles  of  stowage  at  j 
night,  by  which  a dozen  souls  were  lodged  in  three  such 
cribs. 

In  the  evening  we  walked  over  to  Smith’s  Town,  an  esta-  j 
blishment  of  emigrants  of  nine  years’  standing,  consisting,  I 
I believe,  entirely,  of  a party  of  miners  who  came  out  at  ! 
their  own  expense,  and  received  a hundred  acres  of  land  i 
each  from  Government,  being  merely  required  to  deposit  in 
the  Secretary  of  State’s  hands  £ 10  each  before  leaving 
England.  This  sum  was  refunded  at  a stated  period,  I for-  I 
get  what,  but  not  until  they  had  fairly  taken  root  upon  their 
allotted  grounds.  The  prosperity  of  these  settlers,  whose  j 
means  were  even  more  slender  than  those  of  the  emigrants  j 
of  1825— for  they  had  to  pay  their  own  passage,  and  were  j 
not  maintained,  after  landing  at  the  public  expense — has  ; 
had  so  good  an  effect  in  encouraging  the  new  comers,  that  I 
have  no  doubt  that  in  eight  or  nine  years  more,  were  I to  re-  4 
visit  these  districts,  I should  find  my  friends,  the  poor  Irish 
settlers,  living  in  the  ease  and  comparative  afiluence  now  en- 
joyed by  the  inhabitants  of  Smith’s  Town. 

In  the  course  of  this  evening’s  ramble  I fell  in,  accident-  j 
ally,  with  two  of  the  emigrants  of  1825,  who  could  notpos-  j 
sibly  know  me.  I felt,  accordingly,  anxious  to  lead  them  | 
into  conversation;  and  as  they  happened  to  be  very  commu- 
nicative personages,  I succeeded  in  procuring  much  infor-  j 
mation  on  the  subject  of  the  settlement.  But  not  a word  -i 
of  complaint  against  the  Government,  or  the  gentleman  em- 
ployed to  conduct  the  emigration,  could  I squeeze  out  of 
them.  It  may  seem  absurd  that  I should  have  tried  to 
make  these  people  take  such  a line  of  complaint;  but  the 
fact  is,  I was  extremely  desirous,  on  many  accounts,  to 


UPPER  CANADA . 


155 


know  how  matters  really  stood.  Having  heard  but  one  uni- 
form story,  I began  to  distrust  myself,  and  to  suspect  that 
my  wishes  had  prompted  suitable  leading  questions,  or  that 
a ready  belief,  inclining  one  way,  had  misled  me. 

Upon  the  whole,  however,  I do  not  think  it  likely  that  I 
deceived  myself,  or  that  I was  wilfully  deceived  by  the  set- 
tlers, who,  it  strikes  me,  would  naturally  have  taken  this  oc- 
casion to  complain  had  they  felt  themselves  ill  used,  by  per- 
sons from  whom  they  could  look  for  nothing  more,  and  who 
had  no  longer  any  authority  over  them.  The  universal  sa- 
tisfaction expressed  by  these  people  is  creditable  to  the 
statesman,  I believe,  Mr.  Wilmot  Horton,— who  devised 
the  experiment, — to  Mr.  Peter  Robinson,  by  whose  skill  and 
patience  it  was  carried  through  its  many  difficulties,— and 
also  to  the  good  sense,  moderation,  and  industry  of  the  poor 
emigrants  themselves,  who,  though  raised  from  the  lowest 
degree  of  eleemosynary  dependence,  and  almost  of  starva- 
tion, showed  that  they  had  sufficient  strength  of  mind  td 
bear  prosperity  with  steadiness,  and  feeling  enough  to  ac- 
knowledge, without  reserve,  to  whose  bounty  they  stood  so 
deeply  indebted. 

I intended  to  have  resumed  these  researches  early  on  the 
next  day,  but  it  rained  so  violently  that  we  were  confined 
most  of  the  morning  within  doors.  About  noon  it  cleared 
up;  but  the  paths  cut  by  the  settlers  through  the  forest  were 
now  mostly  covered  with  water,  and  rendered  so  slippery 
and  clammy,  that  walking  was  scarcely  possible.  Every 
bough  that  was  touched  sent  down  such  a shower  of  drops, 
that  I got  soundly  ducked  before  reaching  a shanty  in  the 
thicket,  where  I found  a hardy  fellow,  who  had  came  to  the 
spot  only  in  May,  or  little  more  than  two  months  before. 
In  this  short  interval,  with  a little  assistance,  he  had  chop- 
ped, logged,  and  branded  or  burnt  the  timber  on  seven  acres 
of  lahd,  which  were  now  mostly  sown  with  wrheat  and  In- 
dian corn.  This  man  had  accompanied  the  other  settlers  in 
1825,  but  having  no  money — not  even  a single  dollar — he 
had  gone  into  the  service  of  a gentleman  settled  near  Peter- 
borough, and,  by  saving  his  wages,  was  enabled,  at  the  end 
of  a year  and  a half,  to  establish  himself  to  greater  advan- 
tage on  the  lot  granted  him  by  Government,  than  he  could 
possibly  have  done  at  first. 

Both  Pat  and  his  wife,  as  well  as  their  children,  told  me 
they  were  delighted  with  their  new  situation,  though  every 
one  had  been  ill  with  the  ague,  and  more  than  half  of  them 
had  it  still.  Indeed,  I do  not  think  we  entered  a single 


156 


TRAVELS  IN 


house  in  or  n-ear  Peterborough,  where  some  members  of  the 
family  were  not  suffering  under  this  ferreting,  though  seldom 
fatal  complaint.  But  what  is  curious  enough,  it  was  con- 
fined very  much  to  recent  settlers  w’hile  on  the  older  esta- 
blishments, similarly  circumstanced  as  to  soil  and  situation, 
the  sickness  was  not  only  less,  but  was  gradually  wearing  out. 

The  settler  to  whom  I was  now  speaking,  in  all  the  pride 
of  territorial  possession,  entreated  me  to  walk  over  his 
grounds.  In  the  course  of  our  progress  through  the  unclear- 
ed part  of  his  domain,  we  came  upon  one  of  the  most  mag- 
nificent oaks  I think  I ever  beheld.  I stood  for  some  time 
admiring  it,  and  thinking  what  a pity  it  was  that  such  a glo- 
rious tree  should  be  felled  to  the  earth;  and  still  more  that 
it  should  afterwards  be  chopped  up,  and  burnt  along  with 
vulgar  pine-logs,  instead  of  being  converted  into  frame 
timbers,  or  into  breast-hooks,  for  a first-rate-ship-of-war— 
its  true  destiny,  if  doomed  to  the  axe. 

“ I wish  very  much,”  said  I to  the  owner,  “ that  for  my 
sake  you  would  spare  this  grand  oak  ?” 

“ O!  that  I will,  your  honour,  I’ll  spare  twenty  of  them, 
if  you  have  a mind,-— only  point  them  out  to  me,  sir.” 

“ No,  no!  I want  only  this  one.” 

“Very  well,  sir,  very  well,  it  shall  be  yours  from  this 
moment;  and  if  you  will  give  me  leave,  it  shall  bear  your 
name,  and  a fence  shall  be  put  round  it — and  while  I have 
breath  in  my  body,  there  it  shall  stand, — you  may  be  sure, 
—and  even  after  me, — if  my  children  will  respect  their  fa- 
ther’s wishes. — Do  you  hear  that  boys  ?” 

I have  since  received  a letter  from  a friend  in  that  quar- 
ter of  the  world,  in  which  the  following  passage  occurs: 

“ I have  been  over  to  see  the  good  folks  at  Peterborough 
and  Douro,  since  you  left  us.  Your  visit  there  with  Mrs. 
Hall  is  held  in  the  most  pleasing  recollection:  and  Welsh, 
the  Irish  emigrant,  vows  eternal  vengeance  against  any  one 
that  shall  dare  to  do  the  least  injury  to  Captain  Hall’s  oak.” 
There  is  a circumstance  connected  with  the  new  settle- 
ments in  those  countries  which  it  may  be  interesting  to  men  - 
tion,  as  throwing  light  on  the  peculiar  state  of  society. 
During  the  first  few  years  after  the  arrival  of  any  conside- 
rable body  of  emigrants,  which  of  late  years  has  frequently 
occurred,  and  before  they  have  acquired  any  independence, 
all  those  members  of  each  family  who  can  be  spared  from 
field  work,  go  off  to  the  neighbouring  towns,  villages,  or 
even  to  the  better  class  of  farm  houses,  and  engage  them- 
selves as  servants.  Most  of  the  young  women  are  thus  em- 


UPPUE  CANADA. 


157 


ployed  at  first,  and  frequently  also  the  boys.  During  cer° 
tain  periods  of  the  first  year,  even  the  father  and  his  grown- 
up sons  cast  about  for  employment  as  labourers,  at  some 
public  works,  such  as  the  Erie  or  the  Welland  canals,  or 
wherever  high  wages  may  be  offered.  By  one  or  other  of 
these  means,  or  all  combined,  the  family  manage  ere  long- 
in  a country  where  labour  is  almost  exclusively  the  capital 
—to  acquire  a little  ready  money.  With  this  they  buy 
oxen,  cows,  pigs,  clothes,  implements  of  husbandry,  and 
other  things,  useful  for  their  own  farms. 

The  progress  towards  independence,  it  may  be  observed, 
is  very  rapid  when  industry  is  applied  to  the  untouched  soil 
of  that  country,  and  the  parents  are  enabled  gradually  to 
withdraw  their  girls  and  boys  from  a description  of  service, 
which,  in  all  transatlantic  regions,  is  considered  more  or 
less  disreputable,  however  lucrative  it  may  be;— a feeling 
arising,  in  some  degree,  from  the  great  facility  of  acquiring 
landed  property.  Besides  which,  the  children,  even  at  a 
young  age,  can  be  rendered  useful  about  the  farm  in  many 
ways,  as  soon  as  the  first  heavy  labour  of  clearing  is  over. 

From  these  circumstances,  it  happens  that  the  power  of 
getting  servants  even  at  Cobourg,  York,  and  other  considera- 
ble towns  in  Canada,  varies  very  much  from  year  to  year. 
When  first  a fresh  batch  of  settlers  arrives,  there  is  no  diffi- 
culty, nor  for  some  time  afterwards;  but  exactly  in  propor- 
tion as  the  emigrants  succeed  in  establishing  themselves, 
and  thus  acquire  independence,  so  the  difficulty  of  obtaining 
servants  increases.  The  inconvenience  to  which  even  the 
wealthiest  residents  are  put  in  all  those  countries,  from  their 
attendants  being  called  home,  and  from  there  being  abso- 
lutely no  distinct  order  of  persons  bred  in  that  line  of  life, 
is  greater  than  can  well  be  conceived  in  England.  With 
us,  at  home,  fortunately,  a class  does  exist,  whose  sole  ob- 
ject and  pleasure  it  is  to  employ  themselves  in  this  particu- 
lar line  of  useful  industry,  who  consider  themselves  to  the 
full  as  independent  as  any  other  members  of  the  community, 
and  who  take  good  care  to  make  this  privilege  be  acknow- 
ledged by  bargains  equally  binding  on  their  masters  as  on 
themselves.  In  Canada,  however,  and  throughout  America 
generally,  there  is  a deep-rooted,  but  surely  very  idle,  pre- 
judice against  this  description  of  labour;  caused,  probably, 
by  some  associations  connected  with  the  existence  of  negro 
slavery  aver  so  great  a portion  of  the  United  States.  Be 
this  as  it  may,  the  fact  is  one  which  goes  farther  to  make  a 
residence  on  the  western  side  of  the  Atlantic  inconvenient, 
than  people  can  easily  comprehend  who  have  never  been  sub- 


158 


TRAVELS  IN 


jected  to  the  absolute  want  of  servants;  or,  what  is  often 
worse,  to  the  necessity  of  submitting  in  patience  to  the  un- 
gracious, capricious,  sluggish,  disrespectful,  and,  at  the 
very  best,  ill  qualified  nature  of  American  attendance, 
which  prevails  from  end  to  end  of  that  country. 

What  has  been  said  of  the  ease  with  which  a labouring 
man  can  get  bread  for  himself  and  his  family,  will  apply 
generally  over  the  Canadas,  and  particularly  the  Upper 
Province,  and  I believe  also  in  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Bruns- 
wick. I do  not  therefore  qualify  the  remark,  when  I say, 
that  British  America  appears  to  me  not  a bad  country  for  a 
destitute  man,  or  one  who  possesses  health  and  strength, 
and  nothing  more,  but  who  has  been  accustomed  to  bodily 
labour  from  his  youth  upwards;  and  whose  wife,  sons,  and 
daughters,  in  like  manner,  are  ready  to  turn  their  hands  to 
hard  or  disagreeable  work  without  scruple!  They  must 
also,  if  necessary,  cheerfully  condescend,  for  a time,  to 
act  as  servants  to  others,  or  to  their  own  party,  according 
a3  may  be  most  conducive  to  the  pecuniary  interest  of  the 
family,  without  dreaming  of  refinements.  It  wall  certainly 
be  advantageous  that  they  should  already  have  known  what 
domestic  comforts  are,  that  their  future  efforts  may  have  a 
definite  aim;  but  it  will  be  all  the  better  if  not  one  of  them 
knows,  by  past  experience,  what  luxury  means. 

Such  at  least  are  my  ideas  on  the  subject,  which  of  course 
go  for  little;  but  I am  happy  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  give, 
from  good  authority,  in  corroboration  of  my  own  opinions, 
some  more  useful  and  complete  statements  of  what  a labour- 
ing man  must  do,  and  what  results  he  may  expect  in  Upper 
Canada. 

The  following  letter  is  written  by  a practical  farmer,  a 
gentleman  who  has  resided  for  some  time  in  that  country 
amongst  new  settlers,  and  who  knows  from  actual  ex- 
perience, as  well  as  by  actual  observation,  how  these  mat- 
ters stand.  I shall  not  risk  injuring  his  statement  by  ab- 
ridgment, but  give  the  whole  letter,  which  was  written  ill 
consequence  of  some  questions  I had  put  to  him. 

44  Otanabee,  16th  April,  1828. 

44  On  my  return  home  after  so  long  an  absence,  I find  my 
own  affairs  so  much  behind  hand,  that  I shall  be  unable  to 
give  the  questions  put  by  Captain  Hall  that  consideration  I 
wish,  and  which  they  deserve. 

44  If  a labouring  man,  we  shall  suppose  with  a wife  and 
five  children,  arrives  in  Canada  with  £ 10  in  his  pocket,  if 
be  possess  industrious  habits  and  can  live  with  great  fru- 


tJPPER  CANADA. 


159 


gality,  he  may  go  at  once  on  wild  land.  He  will  probably 
get  to  the  Province  in  time  to  earn  by  his  labours  during 
the  harvest  sufficient  to  buy  a cow,  and  probably  some  pro- 
visions.  He  should,  however,  be  on  his  own  land  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  the  old  settlers  are  never  backward  to  make 
what  is  called  a Bee,— or  mustering  of  the  neighbourhood 
for  a common  purpose, — and  thus  he  gets  his  house  up. 
This  he  may  make  comfortable,  and  have  also  time  to  un~ 
derbrush  from  three  to  five  acres  before  the  winter  sets  in. 
If  the  snow  is  not  very  deep,  he  may  chop — that  is,  cut 
down  trees — during  ail  the  winter;  but  if  the  weather  pre- 
vents him  from  working  with  the  axe  after  the  middle  of 
January,  he  must  take  up  the  flail  for  some  of  his  neighbours, 
for  which  service  he  will  receive  grain  in  payment.  But 
the  axe  must  be  resumed  as  soon  as  the  impediment  of  snow 
is  removed.  In  chopping,  great  care  must  be  taken  to  save 
all  the  timber  that  will  make  rails,  and  leave  the  logs  of  the 
proper  length  for  that  purpose.  He  will  find  no  difficulty 
in  keeping  his  cow,  or  even  three  or  four  head  of  cattle,  as 
the  tender  branches  of  the  trees  he  chops  down  iu  spring, 
with  the  addition  of  plenty  of  salt,  will  keep  them  in  good 
order. 

tl  If  any  of  his  family  can  assist  him,  he  will  be  able  to 
clear  the  whole  land  chopped  in  winter,  and  to  crop  it  with 
potatoes,  Indian  corn,  and  turnips.  If  he  have  no  such  aid, 
he  will  be  able  to  clear  oft*  about  two  acres,  by  exchanging 
work  with  some  other  settler,  to  help  him  with  his  oxen  to  log 
and  draw  off  his  rail  cuts  to  their  places.  When  his  crops 
are  in,  and  his  fences  up,  he  must  again  go  out  to  work  for 
provisions  for  his  family,  and  continue  doing  so  through  the 
harvest,  in  order  to  get  a yoke  of  steers.  He  will  be  able, 
indeed,  to  work  out  longer  this  year  than  he  will  ever  be 
able  to  do  again,  as  his  family  can  cut  his  corn  and  husk  it. 
If  he  gets  his  potatoes  and  other  crops  oft’  in  time,  he  may 
sow  fall,  or  autumn  wheat;  but  if  not,  he  will  have  a better 
crop  by  sowing  in  the  spring.  If  any  of  his  winter  chopping 
remains,  by  all  means  he  should  sow  fall  wheat  in  that. 
From  this  time  he  may  subsist  with  comfort  by  occasionally 
working  out,— taking  care  to  make  any  sacrifice  to  continue 
clearing  his  own  land.  Flax  he  may  grow  at  once,  and 
sheep  he  may  keep  after  three  years. 

64  I think  such  a family  may  get  from  most  seaport  towns 
at  home,  to  the  district  of  Newcastle  in  Upper  Canada,  for 
about  J210;  and  supposing  them  to  possess  the  £10  I 
before  mentioned,  the  emigrant,  by  following  something 
like  the  plan  laid  down,  will  find  himself  in  prosperous  cir 


160 


TRAVELS  IN 


cumstances  in  the  fourth  or  fifth  year.  Let  it  be  under’ 
stood,  however,  that  I am  supposing  the  party  to  be  sober 
and  industrious.  A great  number  of  the  settlers  round  me 
had  barely  enough  to  defray  the  expenses  of  their  passage, 
and  have  now  a large  clearing,  and  a good  stock  of  cattle, 
sheep,  pigs,  and  poultry,  besides  many  other  articles  of 
farm  produce. 

“ If  any  thing  can  be  gleaned  from  this  worth  mentioning 
to  Captain  Hall,  that  may  benefit  the  community,  it  will 
afford  me  much  pleasure. 

“ I remain  your  most  obedient  servant.” 


■ 


CHAPTER  XI. 


This  may  do  very  well  for  hard-working  labourers ; but 
it  is  quite  another  affair  when  ladies  and  gentlemen,  ac= 
customed  to  the  comforts  of  civilized  life,  and,  above  all,  j 
to  the  enjoyments  of  cultivated  society,  are  obliged,  from 
whatever  circumstances,  to  seek  an  independence  in  the 
woods  of  America. 

Accidental  circumstances  threw  me  in  the  wray  of  several 
families  who  had  tried  this  experiment;  and  as  they  very 
kindly  told  me  the  story  of  their  progress  from  beginning 
to  enS,  I became  in  some  degree  acquainted  with  a subject, 
of  which,  I confess,  I had  been  before  almost  entirely 
ignorant. 

^ It  struck  me  afterwards  that  genuine  adventures  of  this 
description  could  not  fail  to  interest  many  persons  in  Eng- 
land, and  I tried  to  record  what  I had  heard,  exactly  as  it 
had  been  told  me.  But  I soon  found  that  so  much  of  the 
spirit  of  the  narrative  lay  in  the  minute  fidelity — even  to  the 
very  words — of  actual  experience,  that  I in  vain  sought  to  fill 
up  from  my  own  knowledge  of  Canada,  those  blanks  in  my 
memory.  The  whole  point  of  the  story,  I discovered,  often 
turned  on  circumstances  apparently  trivial,  but  belonging 
so  exactly  either  to  the  individual  characters  themselves,  or 
to  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  local  circumstances,  that  wrhen 
left  out,  or  bungled  in  the  composition,  the  result,  thus  strip- 
ped of  its  original  freshness,  was  quite  flat  and  unprofitable. 

In  this  dilemma,  I wrote  to  a friend  in  that  quarter,  to  say  : 
that- I thought  some  notice  of  the  difficulties  which  the 


UPPER  CANADA* 


161 


families  alluded  to  had  encountered,  and  of  the  methods 
they  had  adopted  to  overcome  them,  would  not  only  interest 
my  own  particular  friends,  but  if  I should  have  the  means 
of 'circulating  this  knowledge  more  extensively,  it  might 
prove  generally  useful  to  persons,  whose  attention  should 
be  directed  to  Canada.  I took  occasion  at  the  same  time, 
to  ask  their  opinion  as  to  several  interesting  points  connec- 
ted with  the  queston  of  emigration. 

In  consequence  of  this  request,  our  worthy  friends  in  the 
Bush,  as  they  call  their  semi-wilderness  of  a residence,  with 
great  good-nature,  wrote  down  as  nearly  as  they  could  what 
they  had  told  us  during  our  visit.  These  letters  are  so  full 
of  characteristic  details,  and  contain  so  many  just  reflec- 
tions, calculated  to  be  useful  on  numerous  collateral  sub- 
jects, that  I have  not  been  able  either  to  condense  or  to 
abridge  them,  without  injuring  the  natural  simplicity  with 
which  they  are  written.  Indeed,  it  will  almost  always  be 
found,  that  when  people  write  about  what  concerns  them 
selves  deeply,  especially  if  they  have  a great  superabun- 
dance of  topic,  the  expression  takes  the  copious  character 
of  their  matter,  and  w hen  given  with  good  faith,  carries  with 
it  a vigour,  as  well  as  a grace,  far  beyond  the  reach  of  art. 

I shall  therefore  give  one  or  two  of  these  letters  untouched, 
as  I think  they  afford  a more  satisfactory  glimpse  into  the 
actual  doings  of  the  forest,  than  could  be  derived  from  the 
most  elaborate  descriptions  of  a traveller.  And  it  is  only 
necessary  to  mention  further,  that  the  writers  are  persons 
accustomed,  during  all  their  previous  lives,  to  good  society ? 
and  to  the  other  advantages  of  an  older  country. 


“ Douro  in  Upper  Canada. 
21st  April,  1828. 


44  My  dear  Sir, 

44  As  you  were  commissioned  by  Captain  Hall  to  procure 
from  me  answers  to  some  queries,  I shall  just  give  you  a 
short  sketch  of  the  proceedings  of  my  own  family  from  the 
commencement.  I shall  declare  the  truth*— but  not  the 
whole  truth— -as  it  would  require  volumes  to  contain  all  I 
could  relate^  and  as  you  are  partly  aware  of  the  difficulties 
we  had  to  encounter,  you  will  perceive  there  is  no  exaggera- 
tion. 

“ After  various  dangers  on  the  voyage  out,  we  reached 
Quebec  in  safety.  Our  party  was  very  large,  consisting  of 
21  persons;  and  wishing  to  use  as  much  economy  as  possi- 

Vol.  i,  15 


1GB 


TRAVELS m 


ble,  we  engaged  some  births  in  the  steerage  of  the  steam* 
boat  for  Montreal,  having  a temporary  division  made  to  pre- 
vent our  party  from  being  annoyed  by  the  common  passen- 
gers. Two  dollars  a-head  was  the  charge.  Three  children 
were  charged  for  as  one  passenger.  From  La  Chine  near 
Montreal,  we  proceeded  in  Batteaux  up  the  river  St.  Law- 
rence. This  was  very  pleasant  for  a day  or  two,  but  when 
continued  for  eight  or  nine,  it  became  tiresome.  Sometimes 
we  slept  in  hay-lofts,  preferring  the  sweet  fresh  hay  and 
cool  air,  to  the  small  close  rooms  in  taverns,  which  abounded 
with  bugs.  Sometimes  we  lay  on  the  grass  near  the  river 
side,  and  though  frequently  wet  through  with  dew,  yet  our 
party  enjoyed  good  health.  We  arrived  at  Kingston,  at  the 
east  end  of  Lake  Ontario,  on  the  night  of  the  ninth  day,  and 
as  all  the  houses  were  shut  up,  were  obliged  to  remain  in 
the  boats  till  morning,  when  we  engaged  a schooner  and, 
look  our  passage  for  York,  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada. 
Lay  two  days  waiting  for  a fair  wind — weather  oppressively 
hot. 

“ At  York  we  remained  for  six  weeks,  the  greater  part 
of  which  time  my  family  was  accommodated  in  the  garrison 
by  permission  of  the  governor.  During  our  stay  at  York) 
we  unpacked  our  boxes,  and  found  our  things  much  injured 
by  the  wet  they  received  in  the  schooner.  At  the  end  of  a 
month  we  received  a carte  blanche  from  the  Governor  in 
Council  to  pitch  our  tents  in  any  township  in  which  there 
Was  vacant  land.  I hired  a wagon,  and,  accompanied  by 
my  brother-in-law  and  his  son,  and  laying  in  a store  of  pro- 
visions sufficient  for  a week,  we  proceeded  to  Cobourg;  de- 
livered a few  letters  of  introduction  to  some'of  the  principle 
people  there,  and  in  company  with  a friend  went  to  the  Rice 
Lake,  where  he  introduced  us  to  the  surveyor  of  the  back 
towmship,  who  lives  at  the  east  end  of  the  lake.  This  was 
the  first  time  I had  ever  been  in  the  house  of  a back-wood 
settler.  The  lady  of  the  house  was  ill  with  the  Lake  fever, 
the  little  infant  sick  with  ague,  so  that  all  the  housekeeping 
devolved  upon  the  man  of  the  house,  who  milked  the  cows, 
cooked  their  meals,  and  attended  the  invalids,  besides  at- 
tending, to  all  the  business  of  the  farms.  This,  I must  con- 
fess, staggered  me  a little,  particularly  as  I myself  felt  ill 
at  the  time;  but  I saw  no  appearance  of  dejection  in  him, 
and  why  should  I allow  fears  to  arise?  The  next  morning 
a female  was  procured  to  attend  the  sick,  and  we  proceeded 
24  miles  up  the  Otanabee  River,  to  a place  then  called 


UPPER  CANADA. 


n 3 

Scott’s  plains,  now  Peterborough,  where  there  was,  and  still 
is,  a most  wretched  farm-house,  and  tumbling  down  grist 
and  sawmill.  My  brother-in-law  and  three  men,  including 
the  surveyor,  crossed  the  river  to  spy  the  promised  land, 
and  walked  to  Douro,  about  three  miles  higher  up  the  river. 

I was  ill  and  not  able  to  accompany  them.  When  they  re- 
turned, they  made  a very  favourable  report,  and  literally 
brought  a bunch  of  wild  grapes. 

“ We  all  then  came  back  again,  with  the  full  determina- 
tion to  bring  our  families  to  Douro.  I became  very,  ill  be- 
fore I reached  Cobourg,  where  I was  confined  to  bed  at  a 
miserable  tavern.  I was  visited  by  a gentleman,  who,  in 
the  most  friendly  and  hospitable  manner,  insisted  on  my 
being  removed  to  his  house,  where  I remained  dangerously 
ill  for  about  three  weeks.  My  brother-in-law,  in  the  mean- 
time, had  returned  to  York  for  our  two  families,  leaving  his 
son  to  take  care  of  me.  In  about  ten  days  they  reached  Co- 
bourg in  a schooner,  after  having  encountered  a storm,  and 
having  been  nearly  shipwrecked.  The  ladies  and  myself 
remained  in  lodgings  at  Cobourg,  and  my  brother-in-law 
and  his  sons,  along  with  some  labourers,  went  to  Douro,  to 
begin  operations  where  none  but  Indians,  or  Indian  traders, 
had  ever  been  before,  and  the  party  merely  guessing  where- 
they  were,  as  that  township  had  not  yet  been  surveyed. 
They  cut  a road  from  the  landing-place  opposite  to  Scott’s 
Mills,  three  miles  through  thick  woods,  to  the  place  they 
were  to  begin  to  build  the  house,  for  the  strong  current  in 
the  river  prevented  them  from  proceeding  farther  by  water. 
With  some  difficulty  they  procured  a yoke  of  oxen  to  hire  in 
•Smyth  Town,  and  were  obliged  to  swim  them  across  the  river. 
- “ After  some  time,  provisions  began  to  run  short,  and  two 

men  were  sent  out  to  forage.  After  travelling  for  many 
miles  they  returned  with  one  small  pig,  which  lasted  for 
only  two  days.  No  flour  was  to  be  had  at  the  Mill,  as  the 
neighbourhood  afforded  no  wheat.  At  this  time  18  men 
were  employed  by  my  brother-in-law  to  saw  the  logs  of  our 
houses,  and  he  was  quite  at  a loss  where  to  send  for  food. 
Fortunately  I arrived  that  very  evening  with  a supply  of 
pork,  pease,  flour,  and  whiskey;  for  if  I had  not  come,  all 
the  men  would  have  gone  away,  and  it  would  have  be.eri 
nearly  impossible  to  collect  them  again,  as  they  lived  many 
miles  from  each  other  and  from  Douro.  This  collection  of 
neighbours  is  called  a Bee,  and  is  the  common  custom  to 
assist  each  other  in  any  great  piece  of  labour,  such  as  build- 


164 


TRAVELS  IN’ 


ing  a house,  logging,  &c.  The  person  who  4 calls  the  bee* 
is  expected  to  feed  them  well,  and  to  return  their  work  day 
for  day.  On  my  way  up  the  river  from  Rice  Lake,  I was 
obliged  to  sleep  in  the  woods  with  a blanket  rolled  round 
me,  and  a large  fire  at  my  feet.  Some  Indians  who  were 
coming  down  the  river,  came  to  us,  and,  sold  us  some 
venison  for  a little  whisky;  we  made  them  cook  it  for  us, 
and  also  remain  with  us  all  night  to  keep  on  a good  fire,  as 
it  was  cold  weather  in  November,  and  there  was  some 
snow  on  the  ground. 

44  I spent  a day  or  two  at  Douro  to  see  my  house  put  up, 
as  it  was  quite  a new  scene  to  me,  and  is  extremely  inter- 
esting to  see  a small  opening  made  in  the  forest,  and  with 
the  trees  cut  down,  the  walls  of  a house  erected  in  a few 
hours;  and  when  every  thing  has  been  prepared,  a house 
may  be  finished  and  ready  to  be  inhabited  in  two  days. 
But  this  was  not  so  with  us;  for,  from  the  difficulty  of  pro- 
curing hands  and  materials  so  far  back,  we  had  many  de- 
lays; in  consequence  of  the  severe  frost  setting  in,  and  the 
illness  of  the  only  mason  in  the  country,  the  stone  work  of 
our  chimneys  was  only  half  done. 

44  I returned  to  Cobourg,  to  bring  out  our  families  to  the 
woods;  but  1 found  my  wife  very  ill,  and  also  one  of  our 
children,  which  delayed  us  for  some  months;  but  my  sister 
and  her  family  went  out,  and  took  up  their  abode  in  what 
is  called  a shanty,  which  is  merely  a shed  or  hut  made  of 
logs,  and  roofed  with  slabs  hollowed  out  of  logs  to  turn  the 
wet,  and  was  quite  open  at  one  side,  and  in  front  was  a 
great  log  fire.  They  were  obliged  to  live  in  this  shanty 
the  whole  winter,  as  the  frost  prevented  the  mason  from' 
building  the  chimneys  of  their  house:  that  winter  we  had 
much  deeper  snow  than  wTe  have  seen  since  we  have  been  in 
Canada,  being  then  3|  feet  deep;  and  I have  seen  the  little 
children,  from  two  years  old  and  upwards,  sitting  round  the 
fire,  heavy  snow  falling  all  the  time;  yet  both  my  brother-in- 
law  and  sister  say,  they  never  knew  their  children  so  healthy 
or  so  lively  as  they  then  were. 

44  On  the  1st  of  March,  1823,  they  got  into  their  house, 
having  put  up  a stove:  the  thermometer  often  30  belo  w zero 
during  this  winter. 

44  Upon  the  10th  of  February,  1823,  my  family  being 
once  more  in  good  travelling  order,  we  departed  from  Co- 
bourg, to  the  surprise  of  some  of  our  friends,  who  thought 
that  our  courage  would  have  failed,  when  the  great  plunge 


UPPER  CANADA* 


165 


was  actually  to  be  taken.  The  first  night  we  slept  at  a 
little  tavern,  and  adopting  the  custom  of  woods-folk  at  once, 
we  rolled  ourselves  in.  our  blankets,  and  lay  down  on  the 
floor  before  a large  fire.  The  next  evening  we  reached. 
Scptt’s  Mills;  had  our  luggage  and  children  carried  across 
the  river;  we  were  met  on  the  other  side  with  a sleigh  and 
oxen,  to  convey  us  to  our  new  abode.  Having  arranged 
our  bedding  and  the  younger  children  on  the  sleigh,  we 
proceeded;  the  snow  nearly  knee-deep,  and  for  the  last  two 
miles  in  darkness;  so  that  we  were  right  glad  to  see  the 
cheerful  light  of  a good  fire  shining  through  our  log-hut 
windows.  Here  my  sister  and  most  of  her  family  met  us 
to  welcome  us  to  the  woods.  Our  house  appeared  large  and 
wild,  as,  from  the  difficulty  of  procuring  boards  at  the  saw- 
mill, there  was  not  a single  partition  in  ours  put  up;,  even 
on  the  floors,  the  boards  were  scarcely  sufficient  to  prevent 
the  children’s  feet  from  going  through.  When  we  set  about 
to  prepare  our  beds,  we  found  the  floor  covered  above  an. 
inch  thick  with  ice,  of  which  we  removed  as  much  as  we 
could  with  axes  and  spades,  and  then  put  a layer  of  chips 
and  shavings,  upon  which  we  spread  our  mattresses  and 
blankets;  then  having  hung  up  some  blankets  at  the  doors, 
and  also  for  partitions,  we  lay  down  to  rest,  being  pretty 
well  fatigued;  and  upon  looking  upwards  from  our  beds,  we 
saw  the  sky  through  the  roof;  and  have  often,  during  the 
time  we  lay  in  that  manner,  amused  ourselves  watching  the 
stars  passing,  and  others  appearing. 

‘‘The  next  morning,  I sent  all  hands  to  Scott’s  Mills  for 
the  remainder  of  our  luggage,  and  my  wife  and  I set  out  to 
go  to  see  my  sister.  However,  having  occasion  to  return  for 
something,  I observed  smoke  issuing  from  many  parts  of  the 
roof.  As  quickly  as  I could,  I went  up  the  ladder,  and 
found  the  upper  part  of  the  chimney  and  a great  part  of  the 
roof  on  fire.  No  one  was  in  the  house,  except  a maid-ser- 
vant and  three  little  children;  fortunately  the  scaffolding  had 
not  been  removed;  I climbed  up,  and  was  just  taking  a pail 
of  water  from  the  girl,  when  the  scaffolding  gave  way,  and 
down  I came.  I with  much  difficulty  scrambled  up  again, 
and  tore  away  the  shingles  which  were  on  fire,  and  after 
some  time  and  trouole,  succeeded  in  extinguishing  the  fire. 
This  fire  was  caused  by  a dangerous  method  they  have  here 
of  building  chimneys  with  cross  sticks,  plastered  with  clay; 
but  this  had  been  built  in  severe  frost,  so  that  the  clay  did 
not  adhere,  and  the  sticks  caught  fire. 

15* 


166 


TRAVELS  IN 


66  Our  time  was  now  occupied  in  endeavoured  to  make 
ourselves  comfortable,  and  we  amused  ourselves  by  looking 
forward  to  seeing  some  appearance  of  vegetation.  Tins,  how- 
ever, did  not  occur  until  the  beginning  of  May.  In  April, 
we  tried  to  make  some  sugar;  but  as  we  had  nobody  to  tell 
us  how  to  set  about  it,  we  did  not  succeed  at  all.  The  place 
we  boiled  the  sap  was  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  house; 
but  so  close  was  the  trees,  that  I could  not  see  the  house; 
and  it  even  appeared  so  long  a walk  there,  that  I had  my 
dinner  carried  to  me,  thinking  it  too  far  to  return  for  it  my- 
self. This  is  a mistake  which  frequently  occurs  to  new 
settlers;  and  I have  often  since  laughed,  as  that  very  spot  is 
now  cleared,  and  appears  almost  at  the  very  door;  and,  al- 
though we  are  only  84  yards  from  the  river,  we  were  two 
months  here  before  we  could  see  it  from  the  house.  As  soon, 
however,  as  the  snow  went  off,  we  commenced  chopping,  to 
admit  air  and  sun,  and  got  ten  acres  ready  for  spring  crops. 
It  has  occurred  to  us  more  than  once,  in  the  two  or  three  first 
years  of  our  residence  here,  to  be  in  danger  of  starvation, 
from  the  extreme  difficulty  of  procuring  any  sort  of  provi- 
sions in  this  neighbourhood,  and  from  the  uncertainty  of 
conveyances  from  Cobourg,  our  roads  being  few,  and  very 
bad,  and  for  some  time,  both  in  spring  and  autumn,  our  na- 
vigation being  interrupted  by  broken  or  bad  ice,  not  good 
for  sleighing.  The  first  year,  we  had  no  potatoes  until  Au- 
gust, and  were  glad  to  gather  any  wild  plants  which  we  were 
told  could  be  safely  used  as  greens,  to  make  a little  variety. 
Salt  pork,  pease  soup,  and  bread,  being  but  bad  food  for 
children,  sometimes  for  weeks  together,  we  have  used  tea 
made  of  the  young  shoots  of  the  hemlock-pine,  or  burnt 
Indian  corn  for  coffee.  We  lived  so  far  from  other  settlers, 
that  we  seldom  heard  of  any  opportunity  of  sending  out  for 
any  thing  we  wanted.  I have  had  three  or  four  men  work- 
ing for  me,  and  have  not  had  provisions  sufficient  for  the 
next  day.  I have  gone  out  with  my  ox  team,  and  a man  to 
forage,  and,  after  travelling  an  entire  day,  returned  with  a 
couple  of  sheep,  that  had  not  a pound  of  fat  upon  them,  a 
little  pork,  and  a few  fowls,  and  when  crossing  the  river, 
just  near  my  own  house,  have  been  near  losing  the  whole 
cargo  by  the  strong  current. 

44  The  most  interesting  time  had  now  arrived,  when  we 
saw  our  first  crops  appear  above  ground.  I had  the  honour 
of  planting  and  sowing  the  first  seeds  in  Douro.  But  our 
troubles  were  not  at  an  end;  for  in  June,  when  all  our  crops 


UPPER  CANADA. 


167 


were  looking  well,  and  when  we  looked  forward  to  having 
a reward  for  our  patience  and  industry,  a great  fire,  which 
began  in  the  woods,  extended  into  our  clearing,  and  burnt 
up  a large  portion  of  the  young  Indian  corn  and  potatoes, 
and  it  was  with  the  greatest  exertion  that  we  were  able  to 
save  a part  of  our  precious  crops.  This  fire  lasted  for  two  or 
three  days,  and  all  hands  were  busily  employed  carrying 
water. 

“ In  the  second  year  of  our  sojourn,  we  lost  a dear  little 
daughter,  nearly  two  years  old,  one  who  was  most  endearing 
to  all  who  saw  her,  and  who  often  beguiled  an  hour,  after 
a day  of  hard  labour.  Two  days  passed  before  we  could 
send  and  procure  a doctor.  A short  time  after  this,  my 
wife  was  confined,  and  I had  to  send  fifteen  miles  for  a 
nurse  tender,  who  reached  us  with  much  difficulty,  as  she 
was  obliged  to  walk  through  woods,  where  no  road  had  ever 
been  cut,  and  to  be  carried  sometimes  across  swamps,  and 
lifted  over  large  logs.  My  wife,  however,  recovered  safely 
and  speedily,  although  her  confinement  took  place  in  the 
depth  of  winter;  and  now  we  have  three  little  children,  who 
have  never  been  three  miles  from  this  house.  Nothing  un~ 
pleasant  has  happened  within  the  last  year  or  two,  with  the 
exception  of  the  loss  of  some  cattle,  by  the  falling  of  trees, 
and  other  accidents.  Our  provisions  occasionally  ran  short 
for  the  first  three  years;  and  at  times  we  have  literally  used 
plain  bran  made  into  cakes,  and  used  Indian  corn  boiled, 
when  we  could  not  procure  flour.  In  the  winter  of  1824 
we  had  four  Scotsmen  employed;  and,  in  order  to  supply 
them  with  bread,  we  were  obliged  to  grind  our  wheat  in  a 
small  hand-mill,  which,  fortunately,  we  had  brought  with  us 
for  grinding  coffee,  pepper,  &c.  Every  evening,  after  a hard 
day’s  work,  these  four  young  men  ground  as  much  wheat  as 
was  sufficient  for  supplying  bread  for  each  day. 

6<  We  had  been  nearly  a year  and  a half  living  here  before 
my  wife  saw  a female  of  any  description,  except  those  of 
our  own  two  families— and  one  day  I took  her  down  to  the 
mill,  where  two  women  were  washing  at  the  river  side,  when 
she  immediately  cried  out,  ‘Oh!  there  are  two  women!’ 
Three  years  passed  away  without  any  appearance  of  settlers 
coming  near  us.  I thought  as  my  family  were  growing  up, 
it  was  a pity  to  spend  any  more  time  in  this  hopeless  retire- 
ment. So  I had  written  to  a friend  in  Cobourg  to  procure, 
for  me  a snug  little  place  in  that  neighbourhood,  with  about 
SO  acres  of  land.  A few  days  after  this,  Mr.  P,  Robinson 


16S 


TRAVELS  IN' 


came  to  my  house,  and  mentioned  to  me  his  intention  of 
bringing  up  the  emigrants  to  these  back  townships.  At 
once  we  gave  up  every  idea  of  removing — the  clouds  dis- 
persed— all  our  difficulties  seemed  over. 

“ The  plains  at  Scott’s  Mills  were  soon  after  covered 
with  huts  and  shanties,  and  inhabited  by  2000  souls.  All 
became  bustle  and  activity 5 houses  and  stores  erected;  a 
clergyman,  priest,  doctor,  besides  various  kinds  of  trades- 
men, were  soon  established;  in  fact,  every  thing  we  wanted 
appeared  within  our  reach,  and  we  had  the  prospect  of  some 
society.  Now  I would  not  exchange  for  any  other  part  of 
the  province.  Our  farm  (which  is  now  near  70  acres)  will 
give  us  all  the  necessaries  of  life.  Often  my  wife  and  I 
look  back,  I may  say  with  pleasure,  at  our  little  grievances, 
and  enjoy  the  retrospect.  No  settlers  coming  here  now  can 
have  any  idea  of  the  difficulties  of  the  first  settlers,  as  they 
can  now  procure  every  thing  they  require  if  they  have  the 
means  of  purchasing  it.  We  now  have  good  mills  both  for 
flour  and  boards,  thanks  to  our  good  governor,  Sir  Peregrine 
Maitland,  and  Mr.  Robinson;  a bridge  over  the  river,  roads 
in  every  direction,  and  a regular  communication  with  the 
towns  in  front,  so  that  any  lady  and  gentleman  with  a small 
annual  income,  and  the  prospect  of  a family,  with  proper 
management  would  do  well  here,  by  securing  a landed  pro- 
perty for  their  children.  All  unnecessary  expenses  must  be 
avoided  for  some  time,  as  labour  and  necessaries  are  high- 
priced,  1 mean  clothing,  provisions,  &c.,  particularly  if  a 
man  cannot  work  himself,  or  if  his  family  are  not  able  to  as- 
sist him.  A settler  in  this  country,  though  he  may  have  an 
income,  must  do  all  he  can  to  assist  in  getting  on  the  work; 
and  he  must  come  here  with  the  full  determination  to  be- 
come a farmer  to  all  intents  and  purposes.  The  lady  must 
be  a good  economist  and  housekeeper;  and  if  she  is  willing, 
contented,  and  reasonable,  she  will  have  it  in  her  power  to 
save  her  husband  many  an  hour  of  anxiety  and  pain. 

Try  to  surmount  all  difficulties;  and  as  there  is  always 
constant  employment  for  both  head  and  hands,  never  for  a 
moment  let  your  mind  dwell  on  ( your  apparent  unpleasant 
situation;  look  forward  with  hope,  and  all  will  go  on  well, 
no  danger. 

“ I have  now  given  you  a short  account  of  our  sojourn  of 
five  years  in  tins  new  country;  and  though  we  have  had 
some  little  difficulties,  and  some  anxieties,  yet  we  are  as  hap- 
py and  contented  as  any  others  in  the  country,  or  perhaps 


UPPER  CANADA. 


169 


as  we  would  be  any  where;  we  certainly  regret  the  loss  of 
the  society  of  our  distant  friends,  yet  we  consider  the  step 
we  took  in  coming  here  was  that  of  duty  to  our  children. 
My  property  here  will  become  valuable  in  time;  and  the 
great  pleasure  of  still  living  under  the  protection  and  care 
of  the  British  Government,  though  last,  is  not  the  least  of 
the  many  blessings  we  enjoy. 

“It  would  be  a most  desirable  thing  to  have  a few  thou- 
sand English  and  Scots  settlers  amongst  us,  particularly  the 
latter,  as  they  are  so  steady,  industrious,  and  moral.  Douro 
settlers  are  at  present  all  Irish,  and,  though  doing  very  well, 
yet,  from  their  former  indolent  habits,  they  have  not  exert- 
ed themselves  as  much  as  they  might,  being  addicted 
to  taking  a little  too  much  whiskey,  and  by  doing  so  lose 
a great  deal  of  time.  A great  improvement  would  arise 
from  the  settlers  of  the  different  parts  of  Great  Britain  inter- 
marrying; and  any  differences  which  might  have  existed 
would  soon  wear  away.  The  Scots  have  all  got  more  or 
less  education,  and  think  it  a disgrace  not  to  have  their  chil- 
dren taught  the  common  rudiments  of  learning.  This  is 
apt  to  be  neglected  in  a new  country,  from  the  excuse  of 
want  of  time,  for  a child  even  of  five  years  old  may  be  of 
great  use  to  its  parents;  but  if  the  country  were  better  set- 
tled, so  as  to  reduce  the  price  of  labour,  parents  could  then 
hire  assistance,  and  spare  their  children  to  go  to  school. 

“ A thousand  arguments  might  be  produced  in  favour  of 
mixing  English  and  Scots  settlers  with  the  Irish  here,  not 
so  much  for  their  mode  of  farming,  as  from  the  good  exam- 
ple they  would  give  of  sobriety,  regularity,  morality,  and 
steadiness;  not  fond  of  visiting,  card-playing,  carousing,  or 
party  spirit.  As  for  farming,  the  best  and  only  way  (if  settlers 
want  to  succeed  in  the  back-woods,)  is  to  follow  the  me- 
thods of  the  Americans,  as  they  are  our  masters  in  these  mat- 
ters. I am  sure  I speak  the  sentiments  of  all  who  have 
succeeded  in  those  parts,  when  I say  that  great  benefits 
would  arise  from  a number  of  Scots  emigrants  being  introdu- 
ced amongst  the  Irish.  We  have  a few  in  some  of  the  neigh- 
bouring townships.  They  are  proverbial  for  good  conduct  in 
every  way,  and  every  one  wishes  to  employ  them  in  prefer- 
ence to  others.  For  the  first  two  years  I never  was  without 
one  or  two,  and  sometimes  four.  I found  them  industrious, 
obliging,  and  honest,  and  free  from  presumption — they  were 
very  superior  to  the  Irish,  or  even  the  English.  Mind  I am 
an  Irishman  myself 1 


170 


TRAVELS  IN 


“ I hope  what  I have  said  is  something  to  the  purpose. 
And  believe  me,  my  dear  sir, 

“Yours,”  &c. 


As  I have  given  the  above  letter  exactly  as  it  was  written, 
1 shall  leave  it  to  make  its  own  impression;  only  remarking, 
that,  in  spite  of  the  encouragement  held  out  to  ladies  and 
gentlemen  with  small  incomes  to  settle  in  the  Bush,  my  own 
opinion  is  decidedly  against  such  projects,  in  the  general  run 
of  cases,  and  T shall  be  sorry  if  what  I have  here  given 
either  under  my  own  hand,  or  that  of  my  correspondents, 
shall  tempt  any  such  persons  to  leave  their  homes,  in  the 
hope  of  making  themselves  more  comfortable.  The  wilder- 
ness, as  I said  before,  is  an  excellent  asylum  only  for 
people  in  severe  pecuniary  distress,  but  who  have  strength 
of  mind,  and  strength  of  body,  to  encounter  the  fatigues  of 
unremitting  hard  labour. 

Nevertheless,  although  this  be  quite  true,  it  is  highly  in- 
teresting to  observe  how  much  may  be  done  under  circum- 
stances of  great  difficulty,  even  by  a gentleman  previously 
unaccustomed  to  manual  labour,  provided  he  be  resolute,  ac- 
tive, and  cheerful,  and  especially  if  he  has  been  trained  by 
a course  of  naval  discipline  to  regular  habits  of  self-com- 
mand and  self-denial,  and  has  acquired  by  practice  that  de- 
scription of  prompt  resource,  which  a perpetual  struggle 
with  the  elements  renders  almost  indispensable  to  his  suc- 
cess. This  training  teaches  the  mind  to  consider  that  every 
difficulty  may  be  surmounted,  the  means  to  overcome  which 
are  not  dishonourable. 

The  following  picture  of  a half-pay  officer  settling  in  the 
back-woods,  strikes  me  as  being  so  like  what  Be  Foe  would 
have  drawn,  had  he  sent  his  hero  to  Canada,  instead  of  the 
South  Seas,  with  the  superadded  interest  of  its  being  true  to 
the  very  letter,  that  I shall  insert  the  whole,  verbatim  as  it 
came  into  my  hands.  Independently,  too,  of  the  lively  and 
graphic  fidelity  of  this  narrative,  it  will  be  found  to  contain 
much  practical  advice,  of  which  I can  assure  other  settlers, 
they  may  avail  themselves  with  confidence. 

“ When  I was  residing  near  Swansea  in  South  Wales,” 
writes  my  worthy  brother  officer  from  the  back-woods  of  Ca- 
nada, “ I happened  one  day  to  be  dining  at  the  house  of  an 
esteemed  friend,  when  the  conversation  commenced  by  some 
one,  after  dinner,  speaking  about  the  Canadas,  the  probable 
chance  of  mending  our  fortunes,  providing  for  our  fa- 
milies, and  mode  of  proceeding.  At  the  time  it  appeared 


UPPER  CANADA* 


171 


mere  conversation.  However,  it  made  such  a deep  impres- 
sion  on  us  all,  that  from  that  day  we  never  met  without  re» 
newing  the  subject,  reading  every  work  we  could  procure, 
both  on  these  Provinces  and  the  United  States  of  America^ 
and  gaining  what  information  we  could  from  every  person 
who  had  ever  been  in  Canada.  My  brother  shortly  after- 
wards removed  to  Swansea,  in  order  to  accompany  my 
friend,  who  had  also  made  up  his  mind  to  emigrate;  but  a 
severe  domestic  loss  prevented  the  former  from  going,  and 
changed  his  views:  but  I had  come  to  the  determination  to  go 
to  Canada;  for  I found  that  with  a limited  income  of  £ 100  a* 
year,  it  was  impossible  to  maintain,  with  proper  respectabi- 
lity, that  situation  in  life  which  my  profession  called  for. 
My  family  consisted  of  a wife  and  three  children,  from  se- 
ven to  three  years  old. 

“ Thus  having  made  my  mind  up,  in  the  winter  of  1818^ 
1 began  to  make  preparations,  by  disposing  of  my  household 
furniture,  reserving  for  myself  beds,  bedding,  carpets,  and 
such  other  things  as  were  portable  and  likely  to  be  useful. 
I also  made  arrangements  for  borrowing  the  sum  of  £200, 
Arrived  at  Bristol,  I procured  a variety  of  tools,  implements 
of  husbandry,  clothing,  &c.,  to  the  amount  of  £ 100,  and 
laid  in  a good  stock  of  provisions,  and  every  thing  likely  to 
make  the  voyage  comfortable  across  the  Atlantic. 

44  We  sailed  on  the  3d  of  May,  1819,  and  after  a tedious 
voyage  to  Quebec,  and  some  detention  afterwards  in  getting 
up  the  country,  we  arrived  at  the  village  of  Cobourg,  in  the 
district  of  Newcastle,  on  the  19th  of  July.  The  whole  of 
my  expenses  for  voyage,  provisions,  and  all  other  travelling 
charges,  amounted  to  £ 100,  8s.,  so  that  on  my  arrival,  I,  had 
a very  small  sum  left.  However  my  quarter’s  pay  came 
round  I was  in  a cheap  country,  and  moreover,  found  a 
most  warm  and  hospitable  reception  in  the  house  of  my  old 
and  esteemed  friend.  As  a new  township  on  the  Rice  Lake 
was  about  being  surveyed,  and  I had  not  means  to  pur- 
chase a cleared  farm  near  my  friend,  I determined  to  wait 
till  the  survey  was  finished,  and  try  the  Bush — as  the  woods 
here  are  called.-— This  was  in  the  month  of  December  of  the 
same  year.  I then  obtained  the  grant  of  land  my  rank  in 
the  naval  service  entitled  me  to.  In  February,  1820, 1 con« 
traded  with  two  men  to  put  me  up  a log-house,  28  feet  by 
20;  and  thirteen  logs,  or  as  many  feet  high;  to  roof  it 
with  shingles,  and  to  board  up  the  gable  ends;  and  to  clear 
olf  one  acre  about  the  house,  to  prevent  the  trees  from  fall- 


17  2 


TRAVELS  IN 


ing  on  it,  for  all  which  I paid  them  100  dollars.  This  shell  of 
a building  had  merely  a doorway  cut  out  of  the  middle:  and 
when  my  friend  and  the  clergyman  of  Hamilton  drove  out 
in  a single  sleigh  with  me,  to  see  it,  and  w e took  our  dinner 
at  one  end  and  cur  horse  at  the  other,  on  a miserably  cold 
day  in  the  month  of  March,  it  looked  wretched  enough;  but 
as  it  was  the  first  but  one,  so  it  was  the  last  in  the  township. 
Whilst  the  snow  and  ice  were  good,  I moved  all  my  effects, 
got  boards  sufficient  to  finish  my  house,  and  a six  months9  7 
stock  of  provisions  out;  and  on  the  8th  of  May  took  my  fa- 
mily into  their  pile  of  logs  in  a Canadian  forest. 

“I  will  own,  for  a time  our  situation  appalled  me,  and  to 
my  then  unformed  judgment  in  Bush  matters,  it  seemed  a 
hopeless  struggle;  but  I was  out  with  my  family,  and  as  I 
did  not  want  for  energy,  I set  to  work  in  earnest.  To  two 
Americans  I let  a job  to  chop  four  acres  and  a half,  at  six 
dollars  an  acre;  and  at  the  same  time,  a man  whom  I had  oc- 
casionally employed  at  home,  followed  me  out,  and  came  to 
hire.  During  the  course  of  the  summer,  he  felled  and  chop- 
ped up  three  acres  more:  my  cleared  acre  I planted  with  po- 
tatoes, a little  corn,  and  turnips:  my  stock  consisted  of  a 
cow  and  yoke  of  steers  three  years  old,  with  the  manage- 
ment of  which  I was  totally  unacquainted  when  I bought 
them;  but  if  a man  will  give  his  mind  to  any  common  thing 
of  the  kind,  and  not  think  it  a hardship,  it  is  surprising 
what  he  may  do,  as  in  this  case  after  a few  days  I found  no 
difficulty. 

“ I was  now  anxious  to  get  my  house  made  habitable  as 
soon  as  possible,  and  a carpenter  being  employed  not  far  off, 

I endeavoured  to  engage  him  to  put  in  the  windows  and 
door;  but  finding  that  he  wished  to  take  advantage  of  my  si- 
tuation, I determined  to  do  it  myself,  and  thus  was  forced 
to  learn  the  business  of  a carpenter.  This  I considered  no 
hardship,  as  I had  always  been  fond  of  the  use  of  tools,  and 
had  previous  to  my  leaving  England,  taken  several  lessons 
in  turning.  During  the  summer,  I got  my  house  chinked, 
or  filled  the  interstices  between  the  logs  with  pieces  of  wood 
to  make  the  inside  flush  or  smooth,  and  to  prevent  the  mud 
used  as  plaster  on  the  outside  from  coming  through.  I then 
put  in  tne  windows  and  door,  laid  the  floors,  and  partition- 
ed off  the  lower  part  of  the  house  into  two  good  rooms,  on  wet 
days  employing  my  man  to  dig  a cellar  under  the  house;  in 
short,  before  tne  winter,  I had  made  the  log-house  comfort- 
able within,  and,  with  the  addition  of  some  white-wash, 
smart  without 


upper  Canada. 


173 


il  In  August,  we  cut  some  coarse  grass  in  a beaver  meadow 
dose  by,  sprinkling  salt  through  the  little  stack  as  we  made 
it$  after  this  we  logged  up  and  cleared  three  acres  of  land  I 
had  chopped,  and  by  the  latter  end  of  September  had  it  sown 
with  wheats  the  logging,  though  heavy,  I did  with  my  hired 
man  and  steers,  and  before  the  winter,  had  it  fenced  with 
rails.  Here,  it  may  be  remarked,  I did  not  get  much  land 
cleared,  but  by  doing  little,  and  that  partly  with  my  own 
hands,  I gained  experiences  and  I would  strongly -advise 
gentlemen  settling  in  Canada  with  small  means,  to  commence 
clearing  slowly,  and  with  as  little  expense  as  possible. 

“In  the  fall,  or  autumn,  I put  up  a log-kitchen,  and  a shed 
for  my  cattles  during  the  winter,  I employed  my  man  in 
chopping  three  acres  more,  in  which  I now  and  then  assisted 
him,  and  soon  became  very  expert  in  the  use  of  the  axe? 
felling  the  trees  to  the  most  advantage  to  assist  their  burn 
ing,  and  to  save  trouble  in  logging.  With  my  beaver-mea- 
dow hay,  and  the  fir  tops  of  the  fallen  trees,  my  cattle  were 
kept  fat  all  the  winter.  In  the  spring,  three  acres  more  were 
cleared,  fenced,  and  cropped  with  corn,  potatoes,  and  tur  * 
nipss  and  where  log  heaps  had  been  burnt,  the  ashes  were 
hoed  off,  and  planted  with  melons  and  cucumbers ; a small 
patch  was  fenced  off  for  a nursery,  and  apple  seeds  sown, 
trees  which  are  now  ten  and  twelve  feet  high.  I also  put 
out  several  of  the  wild  plum-trees  of  the  country,  which 
now  bear  abundance  of  fine  fruit.  From  this  time,  about 
five  acres  yearly  have  been  added  to  my  farm,  taking  great 
care,  in  clearing  off  my  land,  never  to  destroy  a log  that 
would  make  rails,  by  which  means  the  fence  always  came  off 
the  field  cleared;  and  although  they  are  small— frdm  four  to 
six  acres— the  fences  are  all  six  feet  or  nine  rails  high.  Here 
I will  remark,  it  is  a great  fault  to  split  rails  small,  an  error 
that  most  new  settlers  persist  in.  In  the  spring  of  1822, 
my  attention  was  turned  to  making  a flower  and  kitchen 
garden.  Round  the  latter  I made  a straight  fence  with  ce- 
dar posts,  and  thirteen  rails  high,  which  is  at  this  day  stocked 
with  every  kind  of  fruit  tree  to  be  had  in  the  neighbourhood, 
which  flourish  beyond  my  expectation.  My  stock  of  ani- 
mals has  been  gradually  increasing,  and  to  my  other  stock  I 
have  added  horses  and  sheep,  with  poultry  of  all  kinds. 

4 4 In  the  year  1825,  I had  repaid  the  money  I borrowed, 
by  leaving  back  a small  part  of  my  half  pay  every  quarter, 
and  had  received  a deed  for  600  acres  of  my  land,  on  which 
I had  performed  the  settlement  duty,  which  cost  me  L.30. 
My  farm  is  now  increased  to  36  acres..  I have  the  deed  for 
the  remaining  200  acres  of  my  land:  also  deeds  for  town  and 

Vol.  r.  16 


114 


TRAVELS m 


park  lots  in  the  rapidly-settling  town  of  Peterborough ; and? 
as  my  family  have  increased  to  six,  and  are  growing  up,  I 
am  just  now  about  building  a frame-house,  56  feet  by  26  in 
the  clear,  two  stories  high,  with  a commodious  kitchen  be- 
hind, the  timber  and  shingles  for  which  I have  bought  by 
disposing  of  a mare,  after  using  her  for  five  years,  and  breed- 
ing a pair  of  horses  from  her.  With  my  own  exertions, — 
being  able  to  do  most  of  the  carpenter’s  work  inside,— -and 
about  L.  100,  I expect  to  get  it  finished. 

44  Some  of  my  first  chopped  land  is  now  nearly  clear  of 
stumps*  I am  planting  out  an  orchard  of  apple-trees,  raised 
from  the  seed  sown  by  myself;  have  a good  barn  and  stable, 
with  various  other  offices; — in  short,  feel  that  I have  sur- 
mounted every  difficulty.  A town  is  growing  up  near  me, 
roads  are  improving,  bridges  are  built;  one  of  the  best  mills 
in  the  province  is  just  finished  at  Peterborough,  another 
within  three  miles  of  me.  Boards,  and  all  descriptions  of 
lumber,  are  cheap— about  five  dollars  1000  feet,  four  saw- 
mills being  in  operation.  Stores,  a tannery,  distillery,  and 
many  other  useful  businesses,  are  established,  or  on  the  eve 
of  being  so,  at  Peterborough;  on  the  road  to  which,  through 
Otanabee,  the  Land  Company,  the  clergy,  and  some  private 
individuals,  have  some  of  the  best  land  in  the  province  for 
sale,  at  from  7s.  6d.  to  10s.  per  acre.  The  price  of  land 
generally,  except  on  the  roads,  is  about  5s.  per  acre. 

64 1 was  the  first  settler  in  the  township,  and  almost  before 
a tree  was  cut  down;  now  there  are  nearly  two  thousand 
acres  cleared,  and  125  families,  consisting  of  500  souls.  On 
parallel  lines,  at  the  distance  of  three  quarters  of  a mile 
apart,  roads,  of  from  S3  to  66  feet  wide,  are  cut  and  cleared 
out  by  the  parties  owning  the  land  all  through  the  township, 
which  will  ultimately  be  of  the  greatest  benefit,  and  are  so 
now  to  those  settlers  near  them.  They  have  been  much  ca- 
villed at,  and  found  fault  with,  by  land  speculators,  and  per- 
sons having  large  grants;  but  I never  yet  beard  an  actual 
settler  complain  of  them.  One  great  objection  urged  against 
them  was,  that  a second  growth  of  trees  would  spring  up 
along  these  cleared  avenues,  or  roads,  and  be  worse  than 
that  removed;  but,  from  strict  observation,  I find  this  falla- 
cious, as  the  second  growth  is  always  a different  wood,  ge- 
nerally poplar,  cherry,  elder,  &c.,  with  sprouts  from  some 
of  the  old  stumps,  and  so  thick  that  they  cannot  come  to  any 
size;  while  every  year  there  is  destroying,  by  slow  but  sure 
means,  stumps  that  will  take  20  or  30  years  to  get  rid  of. 

“I  have  now  given  an  indifferent  sketch  of  my  settlement 
in  the  woods,  from  which,  I think,  it  will  be  seen,  that  even 


UPPER  CANADA, 


175 


a person  not  brought  up  to  labour,  and  under  many  disad- 
vantageous circumstances — such  as  going  far  back  in  a set- 
tlement, want  of  roads,  bridges,  mills,  and  society,  and 
having  a sum  of  money  to  repay — still  it  will  be  seen  that, 
with  a good  heart,  and  an  industrious  turn,  a gentleman  of 
small  income  may  better  his  situation.  And  I certainly  will 
say,  that  any  person  with  the  same  means,  and  who  will  turn 
his  hand  to  any  thing  he  can  that  is  not  dishonourable,  will 
do  well  to  follow  the  same  course;  and  I think  that  such  will 
not  injure  their  country  by  leaving  it.  For  example,  while 
in  England,  on  half  pay,  nearly  all  my  income  went  for  food; 
here  it  nearly  all  goes  for  clothing  of  British  manufacture. 
My  family  is  supported  with  respectability  and  comfort, 
having  abundance  of  all  the  necessaries  of  life  within  my 
farm,  and  my  pay  enabling  me  to  supply  all  other  requisites. 
Here  we  can  keep  the  door  of  hospitality  open,  without  in- 
convenience, and  find  leisure  to  visit  our  friends,  and  enjoy 
ourselves  in  a pleasant  way,  keeping  a pair  of  good  horses? 
sleighs,  &c.  &c. 

44  Persons  with  families,  as  they  have  the  most  urgent 
reasons  to  migrate,  so  they  will  always  make  the  best  set- 
tlers. Their  children  can  assist  materially  in  the  mode  of 
farming  pursued  on  wild  land,  and  may  do  so  without  its  be- 
ing looked  upon  as  a degradation.  If  they  are  well  edu- 
cated, there  is  little  doubt  of  their  advancement  in  the  pro- 
fessions; and  if  not,  they  will  be  always  sure  of  a provision 
by  farming,  as  their  parents  may,  with  a moderate  outlay, 
acquire  property  for  them.  As  British  goods  of  almost  eve- 
ry description  are  now  brought  down  to  a moderate  price, 
gentlemen  coming  out  will  do  well  not  to  stock  themselves 
with  more  than  they  want  for  their  own  use,  as  they  will  find 
their  money  more  useful  than  superfluous  articles  of  any  de- 
scription; and  such,  with  an  income  of  from  L.50  to  L.20G 
a-year,  with  prudence,  may  live  in  the  most  comfortable  and 
respectable  way  here,  being  able,  by  means  of  a farm,  to 
supply  the  table  with  abundance,  and  to  enjoy  themselves  at 
their  leisure  in  as  good  society  as  can  be  found  in  most  coun- 
try towns  in  England.  Indeed,  were  it  not  for  the  differences 
of  fences,  occasional  dissight  of  old  stumps,  or  dead  stand- 
ing trees,  and  now  and  then  6 1 guess,’  a person  in  this 
neighbourhood  can  hardly  fancy  themselves  in  a foreign  conn- 
try. 

44  It  is  a great  error,  and  to  be  lamented,  that  most  gen- 
tlemen from  the  old  country— as  the  United  Kingdom  is 
called — bring  too  much  of  their  native  prejudices  with  them 
•here.,  by  which  means  they  often  expend  much  money  useless- 


17  6 


TRAVELS  IN 


ly,  and  frequently  get  into  difficulties;  and  I have  known 
some  wholly  fail  from  such  imprudence.  It  is  from  such 
that  unfavourable  accounts  of  this  country  originate.  I 
think  it  should  be  a rule  for  persons  coming  to  a new  coun- 
try, always  first  to  follow  the  customs  of  that  country  as 
closely  as  possible,  reserving  their  improvements  till  they 
get  firmly  established,  and  see  good  reason  to  apply  them. 
It  should  generally  be  an  object  for . gentlemen,  if  they  set- 
tle in  new  townships,  to  endeavour  to  get  near  another,  or 
others,  of  character  already  settled;  as  by  this  means  they 
will  have  a good  chance  to  be  set  in  the  right  way,  and  there- 
by saved  from  much  imposition,  besides  the  pleasure  of  having 
at  hand  a friend,  and  society  suited  to  their  taste.  As  land 
may  be  bought  at  very  easy  rates  and  price — seven,  and 
even  ten  years  allowed  to  pay  it  in — -it  will  be  preferable  for 
a gentleman,  or  any  person  with  small  means,  to  purchase 
near  settlements,  or  on  main  roads,  as  they  will  thereby 
avoid  many  difficulties  I had  to  contend  with. 

44  Having  been  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  last  emigrants 
brought  out  by  the  Honourable  Peter  Robinson,  who  deserves 
the  highest  praise  for  his  humanity,  consideration,  and  care 
in  settling  them,  and  having  read  some  of  the  Reports  of  the 
Committee  on  Emigration,  I beg  leave  to  offer  an  idea  that 
strikes  me  on  the  subject.  From  observation,  I think  the 
Government  did  too  much  for  those  already  out,  and  still  the 
Committee  propose  to  do  too  much  for  any  that  may  be  Sent 
out;  they  are  not  left  to  find  resources  from  their  own  in- 
dustry and  energy.  While  the  rations  last,  many  of  the 
emigrants  make  little  exertion,  and  dispose  of  food  they  have 
not  been  used  to,  such  as  pork,  for  whiskey,  thereby  injuring 
their  constitutions  and  morals,  and  fixing  for  a time  habits 
of  idleness.  Let  the  settlers  be  put  on  their  land  with  a 
shanty  up;  give  a family  of  five  persons,  five  barrels  of  flour 
and  one  of  pork,  with  two  axes  and  two  hoes,  and,  with  this 
assistance,  let  them  work  their  way.  During  the  time  Mr. 
Robinson’s  last  settlers  were  getting  rations,  labourers’ 
wages  were  higher  than  they  had  ever  been  known  except 
during  the  war.  This  certainly  would  not  have  been  the 
case  if  they  had  been  less  lavishly  supplied.  An  able-bo- 
died man  that  is  industrious,  will  never  want  for  work  in 
Upper  Canada;  and,  if  he  will  work,  he  will  in  a very  short 
time  get  himself  a cow,  grain,  potatoes,  &c.  & c. 

44  Although  this  part  of  the  province  is  very  rapidly  im- 
proving, still  it  would  increase  in  population  and  riches  in  a 
tenfold  degree,  was  the  water  communication  opened  with 
Lake  Ontario  by  a canal  on  part  of  the  River  Trent.  An 


tJPPER  CANADA. 


177 


immense  extent  of  country  from  Peterborough,  on  the  Ota- 
nabee  River,  to  the  Bay  of  Quinte, — which  is  a part  of  On- 
tario,— -comprising  some  of  the  richest  land  in  the  province, 
would  then  be  settled  and  cultivated,  having  a decided  ad- 
vantage over  the  front;  and  the  flour,  grain,  pork,  lumber, 
potash,  and  staves,  that  would  go  down,  must  make  this  dis- 
trict greatly  superior  to  any  other  in  this  province.  It  is  not 
to  be  doubted  that,  independent  of  the  tolls,  the  inhabitants, 
within  a range  likely  to  benefit  by  so  desirable  an  outlet, 
would  willingly  consent  to  pay  an  assessment  in  proportion 
to  the  quantity  of  land  they  hold.  This  will  readily  be  seen, 
when  it  is  known  that  in  the  article  of  wheat,  there  is  3d.  or 
6d.  a-bushel  less  given  for  it  north  of  the  Rice  Lake,  and  the 
same  in  proportion  for  other  produce,  with  an  equal  loss  to 
the  settler  on  every  kind  of  goods  he  purchases. 

44  That  the  Government  are  well  aware  of  the  great  ad- 
vantage, in  a military  point  of  view,  in  case  of  a war,  of 
such  a communication,  I have  no  doubt;  and  I cannot  be  so 
presumptuous  as  to  point  out  why  it  would  be  so,  in  stating 
that  large  quantities  of  produce,  &c.  will  go  down  the  Trent 
which  now  has  to  be  taken  by  land  to  Lake  Ontario;  I will 
merely  state,  that  this  last  winter  very  nearly  5000  bushels 
of  wheat  have  been  taken  in  b}Mhe  store-keepers  at  Peterbo- 
rough alone.  Only  three  or  four  years  ago  flour  was  trans- 
ported back  there,  so  that  no  doubt  can  exist  of  the  increased 
quantity  a few  years  will  produce.  Through  the  goodness 
and  paternal  consideration  of  his  Excellency  Sir  Peregrine 
Maitland,  an  excellent  mill  has  been  erected  at  Peterbo- 
rough, which  is  the  greatest  blessing  to  the  settler  and  the 
country,  and  will  be  the  means  of  the  adjacent  townships 
filling  up  rapidly.  In  the  town  itself,  which  less  than  three 
years  ago  had  but  one  solitary  house  in  it,  now  may  be  seen 
frame-houses  in  every  direction,  and  this  summer  20  addi- 
tional ones  will  be  erected. 

44  Respectable  yeomen,  or  small  farmers,  having  sufficient 
,to  settle  themselves  and  support  their  families,  if  they  go  on 
wild  land  for  two  years,  will,  with  industry,  always  do  well. 
Certainly,  having  L.  100  clear  when  they  have  paid  a seventh 
of  the  purchase  money  for  200  acres,  they  will,  before  that 
sum  is  expended,  raise  sufficient  for  their  future  maintenance; 
but  in  all  cases,  much  of  what  is  required  depends  on  what 
persons  have  been  used  to,  and  the  sacrifices  they  will  make 
for  a short  time,  to  acquire  property  and  become  indepen- 
dent. Mechanics  of  all  descriptions  will  do  well,  and  in- 
deed any  one  used  to  labour,  or  who  will  be  industrious. 
Some  of  the  best  settlers  in  this  township  were  at  home  wea- 
ld* 


178 


TRAVELS  IN 


vers.  But  tradesmen,  or  shop-keepers  of  ruined  fortune,  if 
they  do  ill  at  home,  will  do  worse  here;  and  let  all  persons 
who  will  not  put  their  hand  to  every  thing,  who  feel  discou- 
raged at  trifles,  and  who  expect  any  thing  like  a life  of  idle- 
ness, beware  how  they  make  the  trial  of  settling  in  a new 
country.  My  opinions  are  founded  on  observation  and  prac- 
tical knowledge,  and  in  giving  them,  though  in  a very  home- 
ly and  jumbled  manner,  still  I have  endeavoured  to  give  the 
true  statement,  and,  I trust,  just  recommendations;  and  I 
shall  feel  gratified  and  happy,  if  Captain  Hall  can  cull  any 
thing  from  what  I have  written  that  may  benefit  the  public 
or  a single  individual,  or  be  the  means  of  doing  even  a small 
good  to  this  happy  and  thriving  province. 

“I  remain,  sir, 

4 4 Yours  most  truly.  ” 

Before  taking  leave  of  this  subject  altogether,  I feel  it  al- 
most a duty  to  give  the  following  letter  upon  some  topics 
connected  with  the  question  of  emigration,  which,  it  may  be 
observed,  must  for  a long  time  continue  one  of  great  impor- 
tance to  the  United  Kingdom. 

I would  not  have  occupied  so  great  a portion  of  space  with 
these  letters,  had  I not,  from  personal  acquaintance  and  other 
sources  of  information,  the  most  entire  confidence  in  the  lo- 
cal knowledge,  the  good  faith,  and  the  patriotism  of  the  wri- 
ters. These  remarks  apply  with  particular  force  to  the  ju- 
dicious friend  to  whom  I am  indebted  for  the  following  re- 
marks; and  I am  not  without  hopes  that  his  suggestions  may 
have  their  effect  in  those  quarters  in  which  the  power  resides 
of  giving  them  practical  efficacy. 

sc  CobourGj  Upper  C ax  ad. a,  May  30tb,  1828., 

'u  My  dear  Sir, 

44  In  your  last  letter  to  me,  of  the  18th  of  February,  you 
advert  to  an  observation  I formerly  made  relative  to  the  mix- 
ture.of  Scotch  and  English  emigrants  with  those  from  Ire- 
land; and  as  you  do  me  the  honour  to  request  the  grounds 
of  my  opinions,  1 take  the  opportunity  of  communicating 
them  before  your  intended  return  to  Europe  shall  take  place. 
It  must  be  obvious  to  those  who  have  had  an  opportunity  of 
observing  the  progress  of  newly  peopled  countries,  that 
whenever  a tract  has  been  settled  almost  exclusively  by  one 
description  of  persons,  that  the  settlement  which  they  form 
has  retained  for  many  generations,  in  a very  great  measure, 
the  habits,  whether  good  or  bad,  of  the  original  emigrants. 
This,  I understand,  is  peculiarly  the  case,  up  to  the  present 


UPPER  CAN  ABA* 


17:9 


..day,  in  the  United  States,  It  is  exemplified  in  the  indus- 
trious and  thriving  Dutch  and  Germans;  in  the  highly  mo- 
ral conduct,  superadded  to  the  persevering  industry  of  the 
New  Englanders,  who  left  their  home  from  higher  mo- 
tives than  the  mere  personal  support  of  their  families^ 
In  the  Quakers  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  many  other  in- 
stances which  might  be  adduced.  My  attention  was  drawn 
very  particularly  to  this  subject,  by  having  occasion  lately 
to  pass  through  the  township  of  Cavan,  which  was  settled 
about  nine  years  since  for  the  most  part  by  distressed  Irish, 
from  the  state  of  New  York.  They  were,  to  the  credit  of 
the  British  Government,  kindly  assisted  in  reaching  this 
province,  and  provided  with  lands  upon  their  arrival.  They 
appear  to  be  a happy,  contented  people,  firmly  attached  to 
the  Government  from  which  they  have  experienced  so  much 
kindness,  and  abounding  with  the  necessaries  of  life;  but 
from  wanting,  originally,  the  habits  of  more  civilized  society., 
they  have  little  of  that  about  them  to  which  we  usually  at- 
tach the  term  comfort. 

4 4 Their  log-houses  are  low  and  inconvenient,  rather  too 
much  approaching  to  the  Irish  cabin,  and  their  farm  build- 
ings of  the  same  character.  This,  of  course,  is  liable  t© 
many  exceptions,  even  amongst  the  Irish;  but  I have  reason 
to  believe<  the  greater  part  of  these  exceptions  to  be  amongst 
the  Scotch  and  English.  Upon  conversing  with  a gentleman 
upon  the  subject,  he  said,  that  he  had  made  the  same  remark 
in  respect  to  the  township  of  Glengary,  peopled  principally 
in  the  early  days  of  the  province  by  Scottish  Highlanders. 
He  described  them  as  a loyal  and  moral  people;  but  not  being 
possessed  of  the  patient  industry  of  the  Lowland  Scotch, 
their  dwellings  and  farms  did  not  evince  those  appearances 
.which  characterize  a thriving  and  fast  improving  population. 
This,  being  himself  from  the  Highlands,  he  attributed  to 
their  roving  habits,  leading  them  to  prefer  the  adventurous 
life  of  the  lumber  trade  to  the  more  peaceful  occupations  of 
their  farms.  If  such  be  the  case  in  the  above  quoted  in- 
stances, there  is  strong  reason  to  expect  it  to  be  the  same 
if  large  bodies  cxf  Roman  Catholic  Irish  should  be  located  to- 
gether; a people  who,  hitherto,  and  from  causes  beyond  their 
own  control,  have  been  almost  proverbial  for  the  absence  of 
habits  of  regular  industry,  and  for  the  neglect  of  the  com- 
forts and  the  decencies  of  life.  The  experiments  hitherto 
made  by  the  beneficence  of  Government,  have  shown  satis- 
factorily, that  they  are  capable  of  much  improvement  by  co- 
lonization. The  apathy  brought  on  by  their  former  hopeless 
situation.,  is,  for  the  most  part,  exchanged  for  habitual  indus= 


ISO 


TRAVELS  IN 


try,  by  the  necessity  of  constant  exertion,  and  the  certainty 
of  bettering  their  condition.  And  what  is  of  no  small  im- 
portance, they  feel  and  express  a grateful  attachment  to  the 
good  King  who  sanctioned,  and  to  the  Government  which 
has  effected,  so  beneficial  a change  in  their  circumstances. 

44  But  all  this  is  not  without  its  alloy.  There  is,  perhaps, 
more  idleness  and  dissipation  at  the  recurrence  of  every  op- 
portunity, than  would  take  place  amongst  persons  of  another 
description;  and,  as  I understand  from  gentlemen  residing 
in  the  midst  of  them,  a party  spirit  is  creeping  in,  which  is 
likely  to  increase  with  the  improvement  of  their  circum- 
stances, and  their  opportunities  of  leisure.  It  might  be  ra- 
tionally concluded,  that  these  now  existing  and  anticipated 
evils  would  be  obviated  by  a mixture  of  the  Lowland  Scotch 
and  English  settlers  along  with  the  Irish.  The  economical, 
industrious,  and  moral  turn  of  the  natives  of  Scotland,  w ould 
lead  the  wray  to  success;  and  the  custom  of  the  English  of 
vesting  their  gains  in  the  comforts  and  decencies  of  life, 
would  teach  the  proper  enjoyment  of  that  success  when  at- 
tained. 

44  These  circumstances,  with  the  aid  of  constant  inter- 
course and  consequent  intermarriages,  wrouid  effect  a sensible 
and  beneficial,  though  silent  change  in  the  parties  requiring 
it,  without  the  danger  of  contamination,  as  that  would  be 
counteracted  by  the  necessity  of  exertion  in  ail;  and  those 
who,  after  all  these  chances  to  the  contrary,  should  at  last 
be  irreclaimable,  would  sink  into  their  proper  station,  that  of 
labourers  for  their  deservedly  more  fortunate  neighbours. 
The  success  that  has  attended  the  plans  hitherto  adopted, 
may  lead  one  confidently  to  hope,  nay  even  to  assert,  that 
under  certain  modifications,  such  as  observation  and  expe- 
rience shall  from  time  to  time  dictate,  thousands,  and  tens 
of  thousands  of  our  fellow  subjects,  vdiose  existence  is  now 
a burden  to  themselves,  and  to  their  country,  may  be  con- 
verted into  a prosperous  and  loyal  population,  attached,  from 
feelings  of  gratitude,  and  from  those  still  stronger,  of  inte- 
rest, to  a Government  which  shall  have  raised  them  from  in- 
digence to  comparative  wealth,  attended  by  the  dignified  cir- 
cumstance of  being  the  founders  of  a great  and  happy  people, 

44  Although,  perhaps,  singular  in  intruding  these  opinions 
upon  your  notice,  I am  not  singular  in  entertaining  them,  as 
the  accompanying  enclosures  will  testify;  and  I may  confi- 
dently say,  that  such  are  the  sentiments  of  all  the  thinking 
men  of  this  district,  w'ho  have  had  an  opportunity  of  wit- 
nessing the  progress  of  the  Irish  settlement.  The  highly 
judicious  and  benevolent  step  taken  by  the  Provincial  Go- 


UPPER  CANADA, 


181 


yernment  in  the  erection  of  a saw  and  grist  mill,  has  been 
productive  of  the  best  consequences.  Stores  have  been 
erected  near  the  mills,  which  have  placed  the  comforts  of 
life  within  reach  of  the  settlers,  and  of  coarse  these  exer- 
tions  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  stimulus  thus  afforded.  It 
is  a measure  that  cannot  be  too  earnestly  recommended  in 
every  future  condensed  settlement,  and  should  always  be 
considered  as  a primary  step.  Thereby  the  new-comers  are 
enabled  to  build  commodiously  and  cheaply,  and  are  certain 
of  an  immediate  market  for  the  first  produce  that  they  can 
spare,  with  the  additional  motive  to  industry  in  the  exhibi- 
tion of  the  goods  of  the  merchants,  whose  stores  always  ac- 
company the  erection  of  a superior  grist  mill, 

44 1 cannot  leave  this  interesting  subject,  in  which  the  hap 
piness  and  welfare  of  so  many  thousands  are  likely  to  be 
concerned,  without  offering  for  consideration  a measure  cal- 
; culated  materially  to  promote  the  desired  effect.  It  is  es- 
sentially necessary,  if  the  emigration  should  proceed  upon 
an  extended  scale,  to  break  through  that  uniformity  of  cir- 
cumstances and  station,  that  must  inevitably  attend  the  lo- 
i cation  of  a large  body  of  paupers  only.  This  end,  it  is  pro- 
[|  bable,  might  be  obtained  with  no  farther  expense  to  the  mo- 
ther country,  than  a passage  in  the  Government  vessels,  and 
I a free  grant  of  land  proportionable  to  bona  fide  property  of 
the  emigrant.  This  encouragement  may  be  held  out  in  or- 
i der  to  secure  a limited  number  for  each  new  township,  with- 
!.  holding  the  confirmation  of  the  grant,  until  the  condition  of 
a certain  number  of  years’  residence  shall  be  fulfilled.  The 
L new  settlement  would  then  at  its  outset  possess  its  distinc- 
f tions  of  rank,  its  magistracy  and  upper  class;  the  grantees 
| would  find  labourers  amongst  the  eldest  sons  of  the  poorer 
emigrants,  and  these  again  would  become  possessed  of  a lit- 
j tie  money,  and  with  it  the  means  of  purchasing  many  a 
little  comfort,  of  which  they  would  otherwise  be  deprived, 
u Persons  resident  in  Great  Britain  can  have  no  idea  of 
the  inconvenience,  frequently  amounting  to  distress,  expe- 
rienced in  Upper  Canada,  from  the  almost  entire  absence  of 
a circulating  medium;  and  perhaps  it  may  appear  singular 
to  assert,  that  any  measure  calculated  to  introduce  capital, 
and  promote  its  circulation,  would  confer  a benefit  upon  the 
province  almost  commensurate  with  that  likely  to  accrue  to 
Great  Britain,  from  the  conversion  of  the  distressed  part  of 
Jier  population,  into  the  colonial  customers  of  those  who  shall 
^remain  at  home.  If  ample  encouragement  were  held  out  to 
fathers  of  families  in  the  possession  of  income  or  capital,  but 
j|  without  good  prospects  for  their  children,  this,  with  addition 


182 


TRAVELS  IN 


of  a domestic  market  for  the  produce  occasioned  by  the  an- 
nual influx  of  the  poorer  emigrants  under  Government  aus- 
pices, would  bid  fair  to  remedy  the  above  mentioned  evil, 
and  to  render  Upper  Canada  as  prosperous  and  happy  a coun- 
try as  any  in  the  world. 

44 1 remain,  my  dear  sir, 

44  Truly  yours.” 

After  returning  to  Cobourg  from  visiting  the  emigrants,  we  ; 
proceeded  straight  to  Kingston,  the  principal  English  naval 
station  on  the  lakes.  We  had  sundry  minor  adventures  by 
the  way,  which  I have  not  leisure  to  give  in  great  detail. 

On  coming  through  the  woods,  after  leaving  Rice  Lake, 
one  of  our  vehicles  broke  down  twice.  On  the  first  occasion, 
we  managed,  by  splicing  the  harness  and  fishing  the  shaft,  to 
get  again  under  weigh;  but  at  the  second  disaster,  when  the 
wagon  was  undergoing  such  repair  as  we  could  give  it  or : 
the  road,  the  horse  taking  advantage  of  the  pause,  slipped  off, 
and  left  one  of  the  gentlemen  and  me  to  walk  in  the  rain 
and  mud  for  six  miles — severe  discipline  for  tired  way- 
farers. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  morning,  when  we  were  driving 
in  the  stage-coach  up  a very  steep  part  of  the  road,  between 
Cobourg  and  the  Bay  of  Quinte,  the  irons  drew  off  the  end?; 
of  the  main  bar,  and  away  ran  the  leaders.  On  level  ground  ' 
this  would  have  been  of  no  consequence;  but  at  this  particu  ! 
lar  spot  it  had  nearly  proved  fatal  to  us  all.  The  wheel- 
horses  had  not  strength  to  keep  the  carriage  from  gathering 
fresh  stern-way;  so  down  we  backed  at  a most  alarming  rate, 1 
A high  bank  of  earth  rose  above  the  road  on  the  right  hand, 
up  the  sides  of  which  the  wheels  on  that  side  were  just  be 
ginning  to  mount,  whereby  we  must  inevitably  have  beei 
upset,  when,  fortunately,  we  were  stopped  in  our  descent,  bq 
means  we  could  not  have  reckoned  upon. 

An  American  was  driving  up  the  hill  behind  us,  in  a sin] 
gle  horse-wagon,  and  seeing  the  apparition  of  a great  stage 
coach  bearing  down  upon  him,  he  tried,  of  course,  to  reii 
back  his  horse,  and  to  get  out  of  our  way.  Fortunately  j 
however,  for  us,  the  animal  was  bamboozled  by  the  uproar] 
and  refused  to  budge  an  inch,  so  that  we  came  full  upon  th] 
wagon,  and,  the  wheels  getting  locked,  we  were  stopped  ill 
our  career.  Jonathan,  with  characteristic  skill  and  prompj 
titude,  leaped  from  his  conveyance,  flew  to  the  opposite  sid  $ 
of  the  road,  and  snatching  from  the  snake  fence  the  upne  ( 
rail  or  bar,  ran  back  again  to  the  entangled  vehicles,  and  b 
dashing  the  piece  of  wood,  like  a spear,  right  across  from  on  | 


UPPER  CANADA. 


183 


hind  wheel  of  the  stage  to  the  other,  effectually  arrested  both, 
and,  having  thus  prevented  our  farther  descent,  easily  with- 
drew his  own  little  wagon. 

In  our  passage  in  the  steam-boat  down  the  beautiful  bay 
of  Quinte,  an  extensive  set  of  winding,  narrow  inlets,  all 
connected  with  Lake  Ontario,  we  were  struck  at  one  place 
by  the  appearance  of  an  extensive  tract  of  country,  where 
not  a single  tree  appeared  as  yet  to  have  been  cut  down. 
This  we  learnt,  on  inquiry,  was  land  belonging  to  Indians, 
and  reserved  exclusively  for  them.  Nothing  could  place  in 
a stronger  light  the  difference  between  savage  and  civilized 
life,  than  the  contrast  between  the  two  opposite  shores  of  this 
singular  bay,  distant  about  a couple  of  miles  from  each  other. 
The  one  glowing  with  fertility,  and  busy  with  population — • 
j the  other  sleeping  in  a state  of  vegetable  nature,  or  with  only 
here  and  there  a village  of  birch  bark  wigwams,  thinly  in- 
habited by  a dirty  set  of  red-faced  inhabitants,  dressed  in 
i blankets,  and  smeared  over  with  tallow  and  red  ochre. 

On  the  £8th  of  July,  we  reached  Kingston,  where  we  found 
ourselves  most  comfortably  lodged  in  the  house  of  Com- 
modore Barrie,  the  commanding  officer  on  the  lakes;  for 
• '‘hough  he  was  absent,  his  residence  in  the  dock-yard  had 
1 been  prepared  for  us  a week  before,  and  we  took  possession 
of  it  accordingly,  as  a matter  of  course,  at  the  suggestion  of 
ml  the  officer  next  in  authority.  Such  are  the  friendly  usages 
:t»  of  the  naval  service.  And  although  I had  no  personal  ac~ 
lel'j!  quaintance  with  the  officer  in  question,  it  would  have  been 
'iojl  considered  unkind  on  my  part,  and  almost  disrespectful,  not 
itjfto  have  made  his  house  my  own,  when  thus  placed  at  my 
K(|  disposal. 

be  Naval  officers  are  certainly  much  scattered  over  the  face 
eeLj  of  the  globe;  but,  somehow  or  other,  whether  from  the  ex- 
ill-tent  of  their  intercourse  with  every  description  of  society, 
the  similarity  of  their  duties  generally,  or  from  something 
sm| | genial  breathed  in  with  the  free  atmosphere  of  the  ocean, 
there  seems  to  be  a compactness  of  fellowship  amongst 
them,  a heartiness  of  professional  friendship,  in  short,  which 
knits  them  together,  especially  in  foreign  lands,  in  a man- 
ner more  decided,  I think,  than  is  to  be  recognised  in 
most  other  walks  of  life.  It  matters  little  whether  or  not 
they  have  met  before;— their  character  and  services,  respec^ 
lively,  are  always  sufficiently  known  to  answer  the  purposes 
Mf  of  introduction;  and  as  the  range  of  their  topics  embraces  the 
pei  whole  earth,  or,  at  all  events,  the  whole  sea,  and  the  coasts 
lb]j  which  line  it,  from  Indus  to  the  pole,— they  never  run 
on4  aground  for  want  of  interesting  subjects  of  conversation. 


184 


TRAVELS  IN 


After  this  very  long  and  fatiguing  journey  of  473  miles,  | 
from  Niagara  to  Kingston,  we  felt  ourselves  entitled  to  a 
good  rest,  and  did  scarcely  any  thing  else  but  eat,  drink, 
and  sleep,  till  the  30th  of  July.  We  then  put  ourselves  on 
board  the  steam-boat  Queenstown,  and  in  thirty-six  hours, 
after  calling  at  York,  and  going  the  whole  length  of  Lake 
Ontario,  again  reached  Niagara,  a distance  by  water  of  some- 
what  more  than  200  miles. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

i 

On  the  1st  of  August,  1827, 1 drove  once  more  to  the  Falls? 
Intending  merely  to  bid  good-by  to  them,  and  come  away.  I 
therefore  left  the  carriage  at  the  top  of  the  bank,  and  said  to 
the  coachman  that  he  need  not  take  out  his  horses,  but  wait 
in  the  shade  before  the  inn,  till  I came  up  again  from  the 
Table  Rock.  This  was  at  noon,  but  it  was  not  till  three 
o’clock  that  I could  disentangle  myself  from  the  scene.  In- 
deed, to  speak  without  exaggeration  or  affectation,  I must 
own,  that  upon  this  visit — the  last,  in  all  human  probability, =- 
I shall  ever  pay  to  these  Falls,  I was  almost  overwhelmed — ■ 
if  that  be  the  proper  word  to  use — with  the  grandeur  of  this 
extraordinary  spectacle.  I felt,  as  it  were,  staggered  and 
confused,  and  at  times  experienced  a sensation  bordering  on 
alarm — I did  not  well  know  at  what — a strong  mysterious  ? 
sort  of  impression  that  something  dreadful  might  happen.  At 
one  moment  I looked  upon  myself  as  utterly  insignificent  in 
the  presence  of  such  a gigantic,  moving,  thundering,  body — 
and  in  the  next,  was  putted  up  with  a sort  of  pride  and  ar- 
rogant satisfaction,  to  think  that  I was  admitted  into  such 
company,  and  that  I was  not  altogether  wasting  the  oppor-  1 
iunity: — at  others  I gave  up  the  reins  of  my  imagination 
altogether,  and  then  tried  to  follow,  but  with  no  great  suc- 
cess, some  of  the  innumerable  trains  of  wild  and  curious  re-| 
flections  which  arose  in  consequence — though,  after  all,  no- 
thing can  be  conceived  more  vague  than  those  wandering 
thoughts,  except  it  be  their  present  ghostlike  recollection. 

During  these  three  hours,  which  I am  disposed  to  reckon 
as  the  most  interesting  of  my  whole  life,  my  mind  was  often 
brought  back  from  such  fanciful  vagaries  with  a sudden 
start — only,  however,  to  relapse  again  and  again.  More 
than  once  I really  almost  forgot  where  I was,  and  became 


UPPER  CANADA.  ,185 

more  than  half  unconscious  that  I saw  millions  on  millions 
of  tons  of  water  dashing  down  before  me  at  every  second,  at 
the  distance  of  only  a few  yards;— -and  even  ceased  to  recol- 
lect that  the  sound  I heard  came  from  the  greatest  cascade 
in  the  world.  Still,  however,  in  spite  of  these  abstractions— 
which  I made  no  attempt  to  restrain— I was  all  the  while 
sensible  that  something  very  delightful  was  passing. 

The  effect  of  this  mighty  cataract  upon  the  mind,  might 
perhaps  be  worthy  of  the  attention  of  a metaphysician.  .With 
me,  at  least,  the  influence  of  one  overpowering  but  indefi- 
nite sensation  at  times  absorbed  the  active  operation  of  the 
senses,  and  produced  a kind  of  dizzy  reverie,  more  or  less 
akin  to  sleep,  or  rather  to  the  intoxication  described  by  opi- 
um-eaters, during  which  a thousand  visions  arose  connected 
with  the  general  sentiment  of  .sublimity.  And  it  may  help 
to  give  some  idea  of  the  extravagant  length  to  which  the 
over-indulged  fancy  can  carry  the  dreamer  on  such  occasions, 
to  mention  that  once,  for  some  seconds,  I caught  myself 
thinking  that  I had  fairly  left  this  lower  world  for  the  upper 
sky,— that  I was  traversing  the  Heavens  in  company  with. 
Sir  Isaac  Newton,— and  that  the  Sage  was  just  going  to  tell 
me  about  the  distance  of  the  fixed  stars! 

The  awakening,  if  so  it  may  be  called,  from  these  roving 
commissions  of  the  mind,  to  the  stupendous  reality,  so  far 
from  being  accompanied  by  the  disappointment  which  usu 
ally  attends  the  return  voyage  from  these  distant  regions  in 
the  world  of  fancy,  was  gratifying  far  beyond  what  I remem 
ber  to  have  experienced  upon  any  former  occasion,  during  a. 
life  of  pretty  constant  and  high  enjoyment. 

This,  and  a hundred  other  extravagancies  which  I could 
add  upon  the  subject,  however  absurd  they  must  of  course 
seem  in  sober  prose,  may  possibly  give  some  notion  of  the 
effect  produced  by  looking  at  the  Falls  of  Niagara- — an  effect 
analogous,  perhaps,  to  that  produced  on  the  mind  of  the  poet 
by  ordinary  circumstances,  but  which  less  imaginative  mor 
tals  are  made  conscious  of,  only  on  very  extraordinary  oc  = 
casions. 

On  the  2d  of  August,  we  left  these  exciting  scenes,  and 
recrossed  Lake  Ontario  in  a very  crowded,  overloaded  steam- 
boat, and  landed,  for  the  second  time,  at  Kingston,  on  the 
3d  day  of  August,  in  the  morning.  It  was  fortunate  that 
we  reached  our  destination  before  dark,  for  in  the  early  part 
of  the  night  it  blew  such  a furious  gale  from  the  south-west^, 
as  our  bqat  could  not  possibly  have  weathered  in  the  open 
lake.  If  I am  to  have  a seaman’s  grave,  I must  say  that  I 

Vol.  r.  17 


186 


TRAVELS  IN 


should  prefer  going  down  respectably  in  blue  water,  to  being 
drowned  like  a kitten  in  a pond. 

After  visiting  the  English  dock-yard  at  Kingston,  where 
there  were  two  first-rate  line-of-battle  ships  on  the  stocks, 
and  several  frigates  nearly  ready  for  launching,  1 felt  anxi- 
ous to  take  a look  at  Sackett’s  Harbour,  the  American  naval 
station,  which  lies  also  at  the  eastern  end  of  Lake  Ontario, 
Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  August,  I crossed 
the  northern  branch  of  the  River  St.  Lawrence  in  a four- 
oared  gig  to  Long  Island,  which  lies  nearly  in  the  middle  of 
this  immense  stream.  Here  I got  a wagon,  and  was  rattled 
for  about  "seven  miles  over  a turnpike,  as  they  called  it — 
Corduroy,  however — -to  the  southern  side  of  the  island,  or 
that  which  faces  the  American  shore.  The  ferry-boat  had 
been  taken  over  the  water  in  quest  of  a doctor.  I don’t 
know  a more  hopeless  predicament  for  a traveller,  or  one 
where  he  feels  his  resources  so  completely  exhausted,  and 
sometimes  also  his  patience,  as  at  a ferry  where  there  is  no 
boat.  When  I did  get  across  at  last,  I had  the  mortification 
to  learn  that  the  stage  had  just  started. 

The  waves  from  Lake  Ontario  were  rolling  into  Sackett’s 
Harbour  quite  in  oceanic  style,  and  I had  the  discomfort  of 
getting  soundly  ducked  in  crossing  to  the  navy-yard.  I had 
plenty  of  daylight,  however,  for  examining  at  leisure  the 
large  three-decked  ship  which  is  on  the  stocks  there.  It  is 
said  that  she  was  built  in  thirty-one  days  from  the  time  the 
first  tree  was  cut  down;  and  I met  an  American  gentleman 
on  the  spot,  who  told  me  he  had  been  present  at  the  time 
when  this  singular  operation  was  accomplished.  An  im- 
mense number  of  shipbuilders,  it  seems,  all  expert  w orkmen, 
were  sent  from  New  York,  and  other  seaport  towns.  These 
were  assisted  by  an  unlimited  number  of  labouring  hands, 
teams  of  oxen,  horses,  carts,  and  so  on.  In  a couple  of 
weeks  more,  he  told  me,  she  might  have  been  launched,  and 
all  her  guns,  masts  and  sails  on  board,  ready  for  action. 
The  treaty  of  Ghent  put  a stop  to  these  proceedings;  and 
as  it  was  stipulated  by  an  article  in  that  instrument  that  nei- 
ther party  should  have  a force  on  the  lakes,  these  great  ships, 
both  at  Sackett’s  and  at  Kingston,  have  come  to  serve  no 
farther  end,  in  the  meantime,  than  the  innocent  purpose  of 
amusing  the  perennial  crowds  of  Cockney  tourists,  who  es- 
cape in  autumn  from  the  Malaria  of  the  southern  and  mid- 
dle states,  and  fill  up  the  time  by  taking  the  well-beaten 
round  of  the  Falls,  the  Lakes,  and  the  Springs  of  Saratoga. 

The  great  American  ship  above  alluded  to,  is  built  of  oak 
in  all  the  essential  parts,  and  is  filled  up  in  others  with  red 


UPPER  CANADA. 


187 


cedar.  As  far  as  I could  judge,  this  yessel  seems  to  be  put 
together,  notwithstanding  the  hurry,  in  a very  business-like 
style.  She  is  covered  over  with  an  immense  house,  or  shed, 
which  looks,  at  a distance,  like  the  forest-dwelling  of  some 
inhabitant  of  the  earth,  the  giant  contemporary— -if  any  such 
there  were— of  the  Mammoth  and  Megalosaurus. 

The  town  of  Sacketts  has  a stand-still  look  about  it,  which 
leads  one  to  suspect  that,  as  its  rise  was  certainly  owing  to 
the  war,  its  fall  is  traceable  to  the  judicious  article  of  the 
treaty  of  Ghent  mentioned  above.  Had  there  been  no  such 
stipulation,  rival  fleets  would  have  been  maintained  on  the. 
lakes  to  beard  and  plague  one  another,  and  keep  both  nations 
in  perpetual  hot- water,  while  no  mortal  would  have  been  be- 
nefited, except  the  worthy  inhabitants  of  Sacketts. 

A bright  moon,  within  one  day  of  the  full,  enabled  me  to 
retrace  great  part  of  the  way  to  Kingston  that  night.  Next 
morning,  the  7th  of  August,  I started  very  early,  but  it  was 
not  till  eight  o’clock  that  I reached  the  ferry-house  on  Long 
Island,  opposite  to  Kingston.  The  river  St.  Lawrence  is 
here  about  three  miles  wide,  but  as  it  flows  past  with  a cur- 
rent scarcely  perceptible,  I calculated  upon  getting  to  the 
Commissioner’s  house  in  the  course  of  an  hour,  just  in  time, 
as  I hoped,  for  breakfast,  for  which  the  keen  morning  air, 
and  several  hours’  journey,  had  brought  me  into  excellent 
condition.  The  ferryman,  urged  by  my  impatient  entreaties, 
accompanied  me  to  the  beach,  when  lo!  there  was  no  boat. 
A jackanapes  of  an  idle  fellow  bad  taken  away  the  skiff, 
without  leave  or  license,  although  we  could  just  see  him  at 
a distance,  in  the  centre  of  the  stream,  spearing  fish.  But 
wre  waved  our  hats  and  hallooed  to  him  in  vain. 

64  Is  there  no  boat,  or  punt,  or  any  thing  to  be  had  !”  I ex- 
claimed, in  the  vehemence  of  hunger. 

“No,  sir,  none,”  said  the  ferryman. 

44  Why,  what’s  that?”  I asked. 

44  0,”  said  he,  44 that’s  a rotten  shell  of  a skiff,  so  leaky 
she  would  fill  with  v/ater  in  ten  minutes.” 

6i  I don’t  know  that,”  I cried;  “let  me  have  a look  at  her. 
I know  something  of  these  matters,  or  I have  swam  in  a gon- 
dola to  little  purpose.  Come!  where  is  your  vessel  ?” 

Away  we  marched,  tossed  the  crazy  bark  into  the  St.  Law- 
rence,  and  stood  by  to  watch  the  effect.  Sure  enough,  re- 
port had  not  belied  her  qualities,  for  in  a few  minutes  she 
was  half  full. 

The  good  woman  of  the  ferry-house  had  by  this  time  be- 
come anxious  to  assist,  as  far  as  she  could,  probably  suppo- 
sing from  my  eagerness  that  I was  hurrying  over  to  see  a 


1 88 


TRAVELS  IN 


dying  relation,  or  mayhap,  escaping  from  justice ; whereas  1 
was  merely  thinking  of  the  good  things  waiting  for  me,  and 
which  I now  began  to  despair  of  seeing  this  morning.  On 
hearing  me  say  to  the  boatman  that  if  I had  any  sort  of  ma- 
chine to  bale  with,  I would  answer  for  keeping  the  skiff  clear 
of  water,  the  damsel  disappeared  for  a moment,  and  returned, 
bearing  in  her  hand  a large  tin  pudding  dish.  This  was  ex- 
actly the  thing  wanted.  The  ferryman  smiled,  but  made  no 
objections,  and  away  we  started,  though  the  water  squirted 
through  the  seams.  A poor  old  negro,  whose  woolly  head 
was  turned  to  gray,  though  scarcely  able  to  move,  begged  to 
be  taken  in,  and  offered  to  give  me  a spell  when  I became 
tired.  By  dint  of  hard  labour,  the  old  gentleman  and  I ma- 
naged to  keep  the  boat  tolerably  free,  though  our  work  was 
frequently  interrupted  by  laughing  at  the  odd  nature  of  our 
predicament,  squatted  in  the  water,  cheek  by  jowl,  in  the 
bottom  of  a punt,  and  baling  away  for  dear  life! 

In  process  of  time,  we  succeeded  in  boarding  the  pi- 
rate who  had  run  off  with  the  ferryboat.  He  was  standing 
isp  on  the  bow  of  his  skiff,  with  the  fish  spear  in  his  hand, 
and  looking  almost  as  coolly  at  us,  as  if  he  had  been  guilty 
of  no  crime.  But  we  soon  taught  him  another  story,  and 
executed  summary  justice  both  upon  him  and  his  companion, 
by  exchanging  boats — tumbling  the  culprits  very  unceremo- 
niously from  one  vessel  to  the  other,  with  a hint  to  them 
as  we  parted,  to  make  good  use  of  the  pudding  dish. 

We  had  now  leisure  to  look  about  us,  and  the  first  thing  I 
did  was  to  get  my  old  companion’s  history.  He  had  been 
all  his  life,  he  said,  a slave,  near  Albany,  in  the  state  of 
New  York,  till  the  4th  of  July,  1827,  about  a month  before, 
when  he  became  free  by  a law  of  that  State;  and  now,  that 
he  was  entirely  unfit  for  work,  he  had  been  turned  to  the 
right  about,  and  had  wandered  thus  far,  without  a farthing 
of  money,  in  order  to  look  for  his  two  sons,  who  he  believed 
were  somewhere  in  Canada.  I never  saw  a more  desolate 
or  helpless  object  in  my  life,— and  I was  just  thinking  that 
it  would  have  been  no  great  loss  to  the  world  or  to  himself, 
if  our  invaluable  pudding  dish  had  failed  us,  and  the  skiff  gone 
to  the  bottom— when  my  eye  was  arrested  by  a group  of  peo- 
ple on  tfie  beach  near  the  dockyard  at  Kingston,  consisting 
partly  of  men  and  partly  of  women,  all  of  whom,  and  espe- 
cially the  females,  seemed  eagerly  gazing  on  a dark-coloured 
mass  lying  on  the  shore.  There  was  something  in  the  hud- 
dled attitude  of  the  party,  and  the  form  of  the  mass  round 
which  they  were  standing,  that  recalled,  though  I could  not 
well  say  wherefore,  some  extremely  painful  feelings.  In  the 


UPPER- CANADA. 


189 


next  instant,  I caught  a glimpse  of  a little  touch  of  red  cloth 
at  one  end  of  the  object  which  engaged  so  much  atten- 
tion,  and  it  then  flashed  across  my  mind,  that  this  must  be 
the  body  of  a young  soldier,  who  had  been  drowned  in  our 
sight  under  the  windows  of  the  Commissioner’s  house,  on 
the  evening  we  arrived  from  Niagara. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  I embarked,  with  my  family  party, 
in  a batteau  which  had  brought  up  Government  stores  from 
Montreal,  and  was  about  to  return  empty.  These  batteaux 
are  strongly  built  open  boats,  about  forty  feet  in  length  by 
eight  at  their  extreme  width,  and  are  rowed  by  four  oars, 
besides  one  at  the  stern,  which  not  only  steers,  but  helps  to 
propel  them  by  skulling.  They  carry  a lug-sail  with  about 
fifteen  feet  of  hoist,  set  upon  a mast  consisting  of  a rough 
pole,  with  a spare  o*r  lashed  to  the  upper  end  to  make  it 
longer.  The  haulyards  are  passed  over  a niche  cut  in  the 
blade  of  this  oar,  in  lieu  of  a block.  In  our  batteau,  the 
foot  as  well  as  the  head  of  the  sail  was  stretched  along  a yard 
or  boom,  the  middle  of  which  was  lashed  to  the  mast  by  a 
worn-out  sash,  which  one  of  the  voyageurs  said  he  had  got 
from  a sergeant  of  the  68th  regiment.  This  rude  sail  was 
trimmed  or  kept  in  its  proper  position,  not  in  the  usual  way 
by  a sheet  and  tack,  but  by  means  of  two  of  the  long  spars, 
used  on  the  upward  voyage,  in  poling  the  batteau  against 
the  stream.  In  order  also  to  enable  the  steersman  to  have 
a clear  view  all  around,  the  foot  of  the  sail  was  raised  about 
five  feet  above  the  boat 

These  batteaux,  when  loaded  with  five  or  six  tons,  or,  say 
from  forty  to  fifty  barrels  of  flour,  draw  about  twenty  inches 
of  water.  They  are  flat-bottomed,  nearly  perpendicular  in 
the  sides,  and  formed  alike  at  stem  and  stern,  which  turn 
up  in  sharp  peaks  about  a foot  higher  than  the  rest  of  the 
boat.  Upon  the  whole,  they  are  clumsy-looking  but  efficient 
boats. 

The  dockyard  officers  were  good  enough  to  fix  up,  for  our 
accommodation,  a most  comfortable  hurricane-house,  as  it  is 
called,  in  the  boat,  of  a light  frame-work  covered  with  can- 
vass. Under  this  we  spread  our  travelling  bed  as  a sofa,  and 
thus  passed  down  the  whole  series  of  Rapids  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence, lying  between  Lake  Ontario  and  La  Chine  on  the 
island  of  Montreal.  Nothing  could  be  more  prosperous  than 
the  first  part  of  our  passage,  and  we  skimmed  merrily  along, 
with  the  stream  in  our  favour,  amongst  the  Thousand  Islands, 
as  they  are  called,  with  a brisk  fair  wind,  also,  to  help  the 
current. 

Towards  sunset,  the  sky  became  suddenly  overcast  by  a 
17* 


190 


TRAVELS  IN 


thunder-cloud,  upon  which  the  Voyageurs,  as  these  boatmen 
are  called,  held  a council  of  war,  in  a corrupted,  or  perhaps 
antiquated,  sort  of  French,  of  which  I understood  very  few 
wordsj  the  result  was,  the  expediency  of  rowing  into  a nook, 
or  cove,  where  a little  brook  escaped  from  the  woods,  and 
leaped  into  the  St.  Lawrence. 

When  I begged  to  know  the  meaning  of  this  movement, 
they  said,  that  as  the  night  would  be  stormy,  it  would  be 
prudent  to  remain  where  we  then  were,  as  there  was  no  place 
after  the  mill  we  had  now  come  to,  within  15  miles,  where 
we  could  get  any  shelter  for  the  batteau.  1 — who,  by  the 
by,  knew  really  nothing  of  the  matter— -was  of  a different  opi- 
nion, and  told  them  so.  They  shook  their  heads,  looked  ra- 
ther amused,  but  still  went  on  making  preparations  for  stay 
ing  all  night.  As  the  batteau  had  been  put  expressly  under 
my  orders,  I thought  this  a good  occasion  to  ascertain  how 
far  my  authority  was  nominal  or  real,  and  therefore  insisted 
peremptorily  upon  their  putting  off  again,  66  unless, ” as  I 
said,  “ Messieurs,  you  are  the  masters,  and  not  me.” 

The  appeal  produced  its  effect.  They  turned  about,  say- 
ing with  a shrug  of  the  shoulders,  and  a glance  to  the  lower- 
ing sky,  that  it  was  all  the  same  to  a Voyageur  where  he 
was  when  it  rained  or  blew,  but  that  for  ladies  and  children 
it  was  far  better  to  avoid  exposure  on  such  a night,  than  to 
court  it.  “ Nevertheless,”  added  they,  “as  you  wish  it, 
we  shall  put  off.” 

We  had  not  gone  150  yards,  however,  before  the  thunder- 
cloud broke  close  to  us,  with  such  a peal  as  I have  seldom 
heard ; and  I was  fain  to  make  the  amende  honourable,  by 
acknowledging  my  ignorance,  and  confessing  that  I had  done 
wrong  in  despising  the  recommendation  of  such  experienced 
guides.  I begged  them  to  row  back  again  as  hard  as  they 
could,  which  they  did  with  great  cheerfulness,  and  with  the 
characteristic  politeness  of  all  who  speak  their  language, 
without  the  slightest  show  of  triumph  or  reproach.  But,  be- 
fore we  got  to  the  landing  place,  there  came  on  a shower  of 
hailstones,  as  big  as  nuts,  by  which  we  were  so  finely  pelted 
for  our  obstinacy,  that  we  thought  ourselves  fortunate  to  find 
shelter  in  an  old  cow-shed.  I certainly  never  sawT  anything 
like  this  hail  before.  When  the  storm  had  passed,  and  the 
moon  was  shining  out  again,  we  made  our  way  up  a rocky 
winding  path,  through  a wood,  along  the  sides  of  a valley, 
which  brought  us  to  an  extensive  saw-mill,  the  proprietor 
of  which  welcomed  us  most  cheerfully,  and  begged  us  to 
walk  in,  saying,  that  he  wras  always  happy  to  see  people  from 
the  Old  Country. 


UPPER  CANADA,  191 

We  were  all  stowed  away  in  one  little  box  of  a room,  in 
which  we  had  just  space  enough  to  put  up  the  travelling  bed; 
but  most  improvidently  we  omitted  to  spread  the  moscheto 
curtain,  and  in  consequence  of  this  neglect,  for  many  weeks 
afterwards  the  young  traveller’s  countenance  told  a misera- 
ble story.  There  are  no  moments,  I believe,  when  people 
are  so  apt  to  reprobate  their  own  folly  in  leaving  their  snug 
homes,  and  when  attacked  by  such  annoyances  as  these— 
miscalled  the  minor  ills  of  life!  I was  told  in  Louisiana  of 
a man  who  gave  up  a good  appointment  there,  for  no  other 
reason  than  the  numbers  of  moschetoes  which  infested  the 
Mississippi.  He  was  a man  of  sense — and  for  my  part,  I 
have  often,  at  such  moments,  been  upon  the  very  verge  of 
forswearing  all  voyages  and  travels  for  the  rest  of  my  life. 

On  the  9th  of  August  we  reached  Brockville,  a prettily 
situated  town  on  the  left  or  Canadian  side  of  the  river. 
Here  we  thought  of  taking  a day’s  rest- — a resolution  which 
was  confirmed  by  meeting  a gentleman  we  had  seen  at  the 
Falls,  who  introduced  us  to  a friend  of  his  residing  at  Brock- 
ville; and  upon  this  slight  acquaintance — such  is  the  fashion 
of  the  country — he  insisted  upon  our  coming  up  to  his  house, 
bag  and  baggage.  We  were  nothing  loath,  considering  the 
species  of  entertainment  we  had  enjoyed  the  night  before. 

A public  dinner  wras  given  on  this  very  day  to  a gentleman 
who  had  just  been  raised  to  the  bench,  and  I considered  my- 
self fortunate  in  having  such  an  opportunity  of  meeting 
many  of  the  principal  persons  not  only  of  {he  immediate 
neighbourhood,  but  of  the  province  generally.  I was  the 
more  anxious  not  to  let  slip  this  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
higher  classes  of  the  Canadian  society,  from  recollecting 
some  insinuations  in  Parliament,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Ca- 
nada were  not  so  loyally  disposed  as  might  be  wished. 

The  result  of  all  my  observations,  however,  satisfied  me 
completely,  that  whatever  differences  there  might  be  in  that 
country  on  party  topics  of  a local  nature,  or  even  on  those 
subjects  which  had  reference  to  England,  there  appeared 
but  one  feeling  in  every  breast,  of  substantial,  hearty  at- 
tachment to  the  mother  country.  The  manifestations  of  this 
sentiment  were  too  numerous  and  decided  to  be  mistaken  ; 
and  as  I have  a fair  opportunity  of  making  this  statement, 
I feel  it  right  to  all  parties  concerned  to  say,  that  the  occa- 
sional expresssions  of  distrust  to  which  I have  alluded,  are 
not  onl'y  unjust,  but  most  ungenerous,  to  as  loyal  subjects 
as  any  whom  his  Majesty  reigns  over. 

My  health  was  given  in  the  course  of  the  evening,  by  the 
Attorney  General,  and,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Old 


192 


TRAVELS  IN 


Country,  I was  obliged  to  make  a speech  in  reply  to  the  fine 
things  said  on  the  occasion.  While  I was  cudgelling  my 
brains  to  think  of  something  to  say,  it  suddenly  occurred  to 
me  to  go  a little  out  of  the  beaten  track,  in  order  to  try  the 
effect  of  some  of  the  notions  which  had  been  put  into  my 
head,  by  the  last  two  or  three  months’  intercourse  with  the 
new  people  and  new  things,  amongst  which  I had  been 
living.  After  the  usual  flourishes  and  excuses,  therefore,  I 
took  occasion  to  remark,  that  “Although  I had  the  honour 
to  be  a servant  of  his  Majesty,  I held  myself,  for  all  that, 
to  be  as  independent  as  any  man  can  or  ought  to  be. 

“It  appears  to  me,  gentlemen,”  I went  on  to  say,  “ that 
the  words  dependence  and  independence,  are  sometimes  not 
a little  misunderstood.  For  my  part,  I consider  that  no 
thoroughly  independent  man  is  worth  a fig.” 

Here  my  speech  was  interrupted  by  an  ambiguous  sort  of 
laugh,  and  I could  see  a puzzled  expression  playing  on  the 
countenances  of  many  of  my  audience. 

“Who  amongst  this  company?”  I asked,  “is  strictly  in- 
dependent? I presume  there  are  married  men  here?  The 
laws  give  the  husband  the  authority — I grant  that — but  what 
man  on  earth  can  say  he  is  independent  of  his  wife?” 

Here  the  laugh  was  less  ambiguous. 

“ The  usage  of  society  is  to  call  one  person  superior,  the 
other  inferior;  but  who  can  say  that  he  is  independent  more 
or  less  on  the  good-will,  or  the  good  temper,  of  his  partner, 
his  children,  or  even  his  servants?  What  parent,  who  now 
hears  me,  is  not  dependent  on  those  very  children  over  whom 
he  pretends  to  exercise  such  absolute  authority? 

“ After  all,  however,  these  things  are  just  as  they  should 
be;  like  every  other  part  of  the  relations  of  society,  they 
are  but  links  in  that  great  and  mysterious  chain  which  holds 
us  all  together.  The  truth  is,  there  cannot,  and  ought  not 
to  be  any  such  thing  as  entire  independence.  The  whole 
scheme  of  human  nature  consists  in  mutual  obligation,  and 
mutual  compromises,  or,  in  other  words,  in  mutual  depend- 
ence and  mutual  sacrifice;  and  the  greatness  and  happiness 
of  England  and  of  her  flourishing  colonies,  wrould  soon  be  at 
an  end  if  this  were  not  true. 

“I  don’t  mean  of  course  to  say,  that  this  obligation  be- 
tween man  and  man,  or  between  colony  and  parent  state, 
is  always  exactly  equal  in  degree,  though  it  may  still 
be  strictly  mutual.  For  example,  if  I were  to  take  it  into 
my  head,  like  Tom  Thumb,  to  sw^ear  I w ould  be  a rebel, 
and  decline  his  Majesty’s  farther  employment,  I don’t  con- 
ceive the  King  would  be  quite  so  ill  off,  as  I should  be,  were 


UPPER  CANADA, 


193 


Ins  Majesty,  on  the  other  hand,  to  signify  that  he  had  no 
farther  occasion  for  my  services.  But,  if  the  whole  Navy 
were  to  turn  traitors,  and  withdraw  themselves  in  a body, 
the  mutual  nature  of  these  obligations  would  for  a time,  un« 
doubtedly,  be  felt  in  the  highest  quarter;— though,  in  the 
end,  I guess,  we  should  be  the  losers. 

46 1 fear,  gentlemen,  you  might  say  I meant  to  be  personal, 
if  I wTere  to  make  out  any  analogy  between  the  absurd-look- 
ing case  I have  just  put,  and  that  of  England  and  the  Ca- 
nadas. But  as  there  is  a more  apposite  illustration  near  at 
hand,  I shall  say  no  more  than  beg  you  will  study  it,  for 
your  own  edification. 

44  What  is  true  of  individuals,  is  not  less  true  of  nations; 
and  though  it  be  the  customary  form  of  speech  to  say,  that 
the  mother  country  is  over  the  province,  these  are  mere 
words — mere  pieces  of  courtesy  in  language — -for  the  de- 
pendence is  strictly  and  essentially  mutual,  and  the  rela- 
tive obligations  are,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the  same. 
Nothing,  therefore,  I think,  can  be  more  idle  than  what  is 
sometimes  said  on  this  subject,  by  people  on  both  sides  of  the 
Atlantic,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  frontier  I am  now  looking 
at  out  of  the  window.  I am  convinced,  in  short,  that  a colo- 
ny, in  relation  to  the  mother  country,  may  perform  all  its  du- 
ties to  the  parent  state;  all  the  duties  that  can  ever  be  required 
of  her  by  any  rational,  or  truly  parental  statesman,  and  yet 
be  as  thoroughly  independent  as  any  country  in  the  world. 

44  It  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  visit  many  countries, 
and  to  see  governments  of  all  known  denominations,  and  all 
ages;  from  that  of  China,  which  has  existed  as  it  stands  for 
some  thousands  of  years,  to  that  of  Peru,  of  which  I wit- 
nessed the  very  birth— and  a queer-looking  political  baby  it 
was!  It  has  also  fallen  in  my  way  to  see  another  descrip- 
tion of  infant,  which,  as  you  well  know,  was  of  age  on  the 
day  it  was  born,  but  whether  it  has  grown  older  or  younger, 
stronger  or  weaker,  by  time,  I leave  you  to  judge.  Amongst 
all  these  different  countries,  I have  seen  very  few  which  unite 
so  many  advantages  as  Canada— where  the  soil— the  climate, 
and  what  is  vastly  more  valuable,  the  public  government, 
and  the  tone  of  private  manners,  are  so  well  calculated  to 
advance  the  happiness  of  mankind.  You  are  not  yet  so  un- 
fortunate  as  to  be  independent  of  England,  in  the  ordinary 
acceptation  of  the  term — neither  is  she  of  you;  but  you  are 
much  better  off— you  are  allied,  heart  and  hand — a glorious 
privilege,  I am  sure,  you  must  feel  it  to  be— -with  a great 
and  free  country;— you  have  an  equally  free  constitution— 
you  have  hardly  any  taxes — and  you  have  ample  health  and 


194 


TRAVELS JN 


wealth,  long,  I trust,  to  endure — and  last,  though  not  least, 
you  have  got  a very  excellent  Attorney-General,  whose 
health  I now  beg  leave  to  propose,  with  three  times  three!5’ 

We  left  Brockville  on  the  10th  of  August,  and  in  about 
an  hour  and  a half  entered  the  first  Rapid,  called  Les  Gal- 
lopes,  pronounced  by  the  Voyageurs  Galoup,  or  Galoo. — 
There  was  a very  perceptible  descent  in  the  surface  of  the 
river,  at  the  commencement,  by  no  means  unlike  that  of  the 
Thames  under,  the  old  London  Bridge  when  the  arch  wras 
shot,  as  they  used  to  say,  at  about  half  or  three  quarters  ebb. 
And,  indeed,  the  whole  stages  of  the  Rapid  are  not  ill  re- 
presented, on  a small  scale,  by  the  ticklish  operation  alluded 
to  of  shooting  the  bridge.  For  a minute  or  two  before  reach- 
ing the  spot,  we  could  seefhe  fall,  or  step,  quite  distinctly; 
a smooth,  broad  bend  in  the  surface  like  the  swreil  in  a calm 
at  sea.  No  motion  wras  perceptible  in  the  boat  till  we  glided 
over  the  edge  of  this  water-bank,  as  it  might  be  called,  and 
descended  several  feet  to  a lower  level.  At  these  moments 
I generally  felt  slightly  sea-sick.  After  slipping  down  this 
curve,  or  step,  the  batteau  entered  a broken  space  of  water 
occasioned  by  the  fall,  and  w^as  often  swrnng  nearly  round  in 
spite  of  the  utmost  exertions  of  the  crew,  rowing  hard  oil 
one  side  and  backing  their  oars  on  the  other.  In  this  way 
we  were  tumbled  about,  very  unpleasantly,  from  side  to  side, 
for  several  hundred  yards,  with  a quick,  abrupt,  uneasy  kind 
of  motion ; while  the  little,  curling,  angry  sort  of  waves 
kicked  and  buffed  us  about,  and  splashed  the  wTater  smartly 
against  the  sides  of  the  boat,  from  which  it  v-as  thrown  off 
in  jets  to  a considerable  distance  on  all  hands.  I took  no- 
tice that  the  waves  in  these  Rapids  generally  curled  and 
broke  up  the  stream,  against  the  course  of  the  river,  not 
downwards,  of  which,  I think,  I saw  a good  explanation. 

Before  it  became  dark  we  had  passed  the  Long  Sault,  or 
Long  Soo,  as  they  pronounce  it,  and  a great  many  other  mi- 
nor Rapids,  varying  in  steepness,  but  all  of  them  exceedingly 
curious.  I should  say  that  the  velocity  of  the  stream  at  these 
points  never  exceeds  eight  miles  an  hour,  if  it  ever  reaches 
that,  which  I do  not  think  it  does.  Generally  speaking,  it 
may  go  at  about  six  miles  an  hour,  probably.  But  even  this 
rate,  when  the  bottom  is  much  inclined,  and  either  covered 
with  stones,  or  broken  by  steps  for  a mile  or  two  at  a time, 
makes  a commotion  sufficiently  formidable ; especially  at 
places  where,  in  consequence  of  the  banks  approaching  each 
other,  the  whole  river  is  compressed  into  a narrow^  channel. 
At  such  places  the  water  boils,  and  breaks,  and  roars,  not 
unlike  the  sea  over  a ledge  of  rocks — a scene  pregnant  with 
associations  of  the  most  unpleasant  kind  to  a seaman. 


UPPER  CANADA, 


195 


Just  in  proportion  as  we  became  acquainted  with  these 
Rapids,  I think  we  learnt  to  respect  them.  The  guide-books, 
of  course,  make  them  out  to  be  very  terrible  monsters; — - 
but  then,  all  guide-books  lie  so  horribly,  one  does  not  know 
what  to  trust  to;  and  their  verbose  phraseology  rather  stimu 
lates  incredulity,  than  furnishes  information.  The  first  two 
or  three  we  passed  over  without  any  very  unpleasant  feel 
ings.  But  after  having  leisure  to  look  about  us,  and  to  con- 
sider the  inevitable  nature  of  the  danger,  should  any  thing 
happen  to  go  wrong,  we  viewed  them  with  far  more  awe; 
and  long  before  we  had  done  with  the  St.  Lawrence,  were 
forced  to  confess  that  a Rapid  was  a very  respectable  lion  in 
its  way. 

The  first  time  I crossed  the  celebrated  surf  at  Madras,  in 
the  Massullah  boat,  I thought  it  rather  good  fun;  but  after 
making  about  forty  or  fifty  experiments,  I looked  upon  it 
with  very  different  feelings.  Old  soldiers  are  said  to  expe 
rience  something  of  this  kind  in  the  case  of  cold  iron,  whether 
in  the  shape  of  round  shot  or  sharp  bayonets,  which  are  said 
to  rise  greatly  in  their  respect  the  more  intimate  their  ac 
quaintance. 

The  twilight  was  just  leaving  us  when  we  disentangled 
ourselves  from  the  last  of  a string  of  Rapids,  or  successive 
steps,  over  which  the  river  had  been  finding  its  way  for  many 
leagues.  This  series,  as  I have  mentioned  before,  the  boat 
men  told  us  went  by  the  name  of  the  Long  Sault;  but  I af- 
terwards heard  that  the  dangerous  Rapid  known  by  that  name 
lies  on  the  northern  or  English  branch  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
whereas  we  came  on  the  American  side  of  the  channel,  of 
which  the  navigation  is  much  less  formidable.  What  we  did 
see  was  sufficiently  so,  it  is  true;  but  it  was  mortifying  to 
think,  that  besides  missing  the  principal  sight,  we  had  sum- 
moned up  our  fortitude  only  to  waste  it  on  a minor  adventure. 

We  now  entered  Lake  St.  Francis,  an  extensive  sheet  of 
water,  one  of  a numerous  series  which  lie  along  the  course 
of  the  river,  but  make  no  show  on  the  map,  though  well  entn 
tied  to  be  called  Lakes.  The  St.  Lawrence,  indeed,  in  its 
time,  plays  many  parts.  At  one  stage  it  is  smooth  and  glas- 
sy, and  finds  its  way  without  the  least  discernible  current; 
being  widened,  as  in  this  instance,  into  a sort  of  sea,  with 
low  land  all  round,  which  by  no  effort  of  the  imagination  can 
be  made  to  seem  a part  of  a river;  for  it  rests  calm  and 
still  like  a bowl  filled  up  to  the  brim.  Yet  within  a mile  of 
such  a place  we  find  it  tumbling  and  tearing  along  in  the 
shape  of  Rapids,  over  a broken  bed  between  high  banks;— - 
while  at  others,  abreast  of  Brockville,  for  example,  it  glides 


196 


TRAVELS  IN 


past  in  a majestic  current  of  three  or  four  miles  an  hour,  the 
very  beau  ideal  of  an  American  river  realized.  Each  person 
will  choose,  according  to  his  taste,  what  he  likes  best,  and 
there  is  surely  abundance  of  variety;  for,  without  any  great 
stretch  of  fancy,  we  may  include,  as  parts  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence, all  the  upper  lakes,  the  Falls  and  Rapids  of  Niagara, 
as  well  as  the  huge  fresh-water  ocean  of  Ontario. 

I took  notice,  that  as  the  sun  went  down,  the  clouds  col- 
lected slowly,  but  ominously,  in  the  south-west,  and  for  some 
time  gradually  towered  higher  and  higher  one  above  the  other: 
while  a dirty,  watery  tinge  was  spread  over  all  the, rest  of 
the  sky.  Notwithstanding  the  lesson  I had  been  taught,  on 
the  subject  of  interference,  I felt  it  right  to  hint  to  the  princi- 
pal boatman  that  I did  not  much  like  the  look  of  the  weather; 
but,  as  he  and  his  companions  declared  there  was  nothing 
threatening  in  these  appearances,  and  as  they  had  put  my 
weather  wisdom  to  shame  a couple  of  nights  before,  I reluc- 
tantly gave  way,  and  allowed  them  to  sail  past  Cornwall,  our 
intended  stopping  place,  and  to  proceed  straight  on  through 
Lake  St.  Francis.  As  the  wind  freshened  when  the  nigTit 
closed  in,  the  Canadians,  beginning  to  distrust  their  own 
predictions,  reduced  their  sail,  and  held  frequent  broken  con- 
sultations with  one  another.  I was  startled  by  these  symp- 
toms of  distrust,  and  told  them  to  mind  what  they  were  about. 
But,  as  we  had  passed  our  port,  and  were  fairly  in  the  open 
lake,  I saw  it  was  useless  to  say  more,  especially  as  I knew 
nothing  of  this  peculiar  kind  of  navigation,  and  was  ignorant 
of  what  these  boats  could  do  in  bad  weather,  or  what  des- 
cription of  management  they  required. 

In  the  mean  time  as  it  was  evident,  happen  what  would, 
that  we  were  destined  to  pass  the  night  in  the  batteau,  we 
made  up  the  travelling  bed  for  the  child,  and  in  three  mi- 
nutes she  was  fast  asleep,  notwithstanding  the  melancholy 
howling  of  the  coming  storm.  This  was  fortunate;  for  ere 
long,  the  rising  wind,  and  the  high  sea,  which  soon  got  up, 
made  such  a racket,  that  had  the  poor  child  been  awake  when 
the  gale  came  on,  she  must  have  remained  so  during  all  the 
scenes  which  followed. 

The  boatmen  soon  became  alarmed,  and  not  altogether 
without  reason;  for  the  night  was  dark,  and  the  lightning, 
which  flashed  quicker  and  quicker  made  matters  look  still 
more  dismal. 

The  breeze  freshened  every  minute,  till  at  length,  upon  a 
few  ominous  drops  of  rain  falling  in  our  faces,  I could  dis- 
cover well  enough,  by  the  altered  tone  of  the  Yoyageurs,  that 
they  knew  mischief  was  brewing.  By  and  by,  accordingly, 


UPPER  CAN  ABA. 


197 


a furious  squall  came  rattling  up  astern,  and  for  a little 
while  we  continued  spinning  along,  nearly  before  the  wind, 
with  the  mast  bending  like  a bow,  and  the  curtains  of  the 
hurricane-house  fluttering  about  our  ears,  and  cracking  like 
a split  main-top  sail. 

The  steersman,  finding  he  had  little  command  of  his  vessel, 
ordered  the  sail  to  be  lowered,  but  before  his  directions  could 
be  obeyed,  the  ungovernable  batteau  was  brought  smartly 
by  the  lee;  and  as  we  rounded  to,  the  yard  or  stretcher  of  the 
sail  broke  with  a startling  crash— -the  more  alarming  as  the 
gale,  now  that  we  had  come  to  the  wind,  pressed  upon  us 
with  double  violence — and  the  confusion  was  augmented 
by  the  canvass  flapping  and  tugging  to  get  away  from  the 
mast  Our  hurricane-house,  being  far  aft  in  the  boat,  acted 
like  a sail,  and  in  spite  of  all  the  steersman  could  do,  pre- 
vented the  boat’s  head  from  going  off  before  the  wind  again, 
—a  manoeuvre  now  rendered  absolutely  necessary  to  our  safe- 
ty. The  truth  was,  we  had  been  carried  close  to  an  island, 
upon  which  the  batteau  was  drifting  sideways. 

I was  at  a loss  what  part  it  became  me  to  take  on  this  oc~ 
casion,  for  there  was  a great  appearance  of  confusion,  much 
loud  bawling,  and  instead  of  one  captain,  there  appeared  to 
be  five.  Notwithstanding  what  had  passed  on  the  first  even- 
ing, I certainly  should  have  put  in  my  word  as  the  sixth  com- 
manding officer  in  this  scene,  and  tried  to  bring  the  rest  to 
order,  had  I perceived  any  thing  done  that  ought  to  have 
been  left  alone,  or  any  thing  omitted  that  could  help  us  out 
of  the  scrape.  But  as  every  thing  seemed  to  be  correctly 
performed,  notwithstanding  the  total  absence  of  the  usual 
symptoms  of  discipline,  I thought  it  wiser  to  let  the  confu- 
sion work  itself  clear;  or,  at  all  events,  to  wait  till  some- 
thing obviously  wrong  should  be  attempted. 

The  female  party  in  the  cabin  were  but  half  re-assured  by 
my  declarations,  that  all  was  going  on  as  well  as  could  be 
expected,  and  our  excellent  attendant,  quite  forgetting  her 
own  danger,  kept  wondering  and  wondering— -as  well  she 
might! — 'how  the  infant  could  possibly  sleep  through  it  all. 

I don’t  pretend  that  I was  very  comfortable  myself,  while 
things  remained  in  this  predicament;  or  that  I was  not  much 
relieved  when  the  batteau’s  head  gradually  yielded  to  the 
efforts  of  several  additional  oars  brought  over  the  lee-quar- 
ter to  assist  the  steersman.  As  soon  as  the  wind  was  far 
enough  aft  to  give  the  boat  head-way,  she  shot  quickly  round 
the  eastern  end  of  the  island — do  which  we  passed  so  close, 
that  we  might  have  tossed  a biscuit  on  shore — and  in  one  in- 
stant we  exchanged  the  gale,  which  was  now  blowing  pretty 

Vol.  i.  18 


198 


TRAVELS  IN 


violently,  and  the  rough  sea  in  which  we  had  been  plunging 
and  rolling,  for  a dead  calm,  and  a smooth  pool  of  water, 
in  a nook,  sheltered  behind  the  point  of  land.  The  boatmen 
leaped  gaily  on  the  beach,  and  though  it  rained  hard,  soon 
managed  to  light  a fire,  not  so  much  for  the  purpose  of  warm- 
ing themselves,  as  to  cook  a fish,  killed  during  the  day  by  a 
thump  of  one  of  the  oars,  as  it  lay  sleeping  on  the  surface 
of  the  river. 

The  rain,  wre  supposed,  would  soon  penetrate  our  canvass 
roof,  and  we  made  up  our  minds  accordingly.  But  our  ten- 
fold dread  was,  that  we  should  be  devoured  by  moschetoes, 
whose  favourite  spot  on  all  the  St.  Lawrence,  we  suspected 
must  be  this  little  cove.  Mercifully,  not  a single  one  came 
near  us  all  night;  and,  what  was  still  more  unlooked  for, 
though  it  rained  frequently  in  heavy  thunder  showers,  no 
wrater  came  through — and  I am  not  sure  that  we  had  passed 
a better  night  since  entering  Canada,  than  we  did  in  this 
boat — with  the  worst  possible  promise. 

As  the  day  dawned  we  left  our  comfortable  night’s  quar- 
ters, and  sailed  along  Lake  St.  Francis,  with  a light  wester- 
ly wind,  the  only  remaining  trace  of  the  preceding  night’s 
tempest;-— for  the  sky  was  now  clear  from  the  zenith  to  the 
horizon,  and  the  surface  of  the  stream,  if  stream  it  can  be 
termed,  which  scarcely  moved  at  all,  was  unbroken  by  the 
slightest  ripple,  or  even  the  faintest  indication  of  a swell. 
Such  is  the  hasty  temper  of  these  American  river-lakes, — 
up  in  a moment,  down  again  as  soon! 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

We  reached  Montreal  on  the  1 1th  of  August,  1827;  and 
after  visiting  several  places  in  the  neighbourhood,  proceeded 
on  the  23d,  by  steam,  down  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Quebec. 

One  of  the  trips  which  we  made  from  Montreal  was  up 
the  river  Ottawa,  a stream  which  has  a classical  place  in 
every  one’s  imagination  from  Moore’s  Canadian  Boat  song; 
and  I shall  certainly  not  destroy,  by  any  attempt  at  descrip- 
tion, the  images  which  that  exquisite  composition  must  have 
left  on  the  mind. 

By  one  of  those  pieces  of  fortune  which  are  combined  of 
good  luck  and  good  management,  we  fell  in  with  Captain 
'Franklin  just  at  the  moment  of  his  return  from  his  journey. 


LOWER  CANADA. 


199 


and  before  he  had  discharged  the  Voyageurs,  fourteen  in 
number,  who  had  brought  him  in  one  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company’s  canoes  from  Fort  William,  on  Lake  Superior, 
and  down  the  Ottawa  to  its  confluence  with  the  St.  Law- 
rence  near  La  Chine  on  the  island  of  Montreal,  a distance 
of  fourteen  hundred  miles.  He  invited  us  to  take  a morn- 
ing’s  excursion  with  him  on  the  St.  Lawrence  and  on  the  Ot- 
tawa^ and  of  course  we  were  enchanted  to  visit  such  places 
in  such  company. 

I had  often  before  seen  small  canoes  paddled  by  a'  couple 
of  Indians,  but  it  was  a very  different  thing  to  feel  oneself 
flying  along  in  this  grand  barge,  as  it  might  be  called,  near* 
ly  forty  feet  long,  by  upwards  of  five  in  width.  She  was 
urged  forward  at  the  rate  of  nearly  six  miles  an  hour, 
by  fourteen  first-rate  and  well-practised  Canadian  Voya- 
geurs.  As  the  velocity  of  these  canoes  has  been  a frequent 
matter  of  dispute,  Dr.  Richardson  and  I afterwards  mea- 
sured a base  on  the  shore,  and  by  several  experiments,  sa- 
tisfied ourselves  that  the  greatest  speed  was  under  six  miles 
an  hour.  Strictly,  5 statute  miles,  and  87  hundredths. 

Each  Voyageur  wields  a short,  light  paddle,  with  which 
he  strikes  the  water  about  once  in  a second,  keeping  strict 
time  with  a song  from  one  of  the  crew,  in  which  all  the 
others  join  in  chorus.  At  every  stroke  of  the  fourteen  pad- 
dles, which  in  fact  resemble  one  blow,  such  is  the  correct- 
ness of  their  ear,  the  canoe  is  thrown  or  jerked  forward  so 
sharply,  that  it  is  by  no  means  easy  to  sit  upright  on  the 
cloaks  and  cushions  spread  nearly  in  its  centre. 

While,  with  the  true  spirit  of  a master,  the  great  poet 
above  alluded  to  has  retained  all  that  is  essentially  charac- 
teristic and  pleasing  in  these  boat  songs,  and  rejected  all 
that  is  not  so,  he  has  contrived,  with  the  skill  and  taste  so 
peculiarly  his  own,  to  borrow  the  loftiest  inspiration  from 
numerous  surrounding  circumstances,  presenting  nothing  re- 
markable to  the  dull  senses  of  ordinary  travellers.  Yet 
these  highly  poetical  images,  drawn  in  this  way,  as  it  were 
carelessly,  and  from  every  hand,  he  has  combined  with  such 
graphic— I had  almost  said  geographical  truth,— that  the  ef- 
fect is  great,  even  upon  those  who  have  never,  with  their 
own  eyes,  seen  the  44  Utawa’s  tide,”— nor  44  flown  down 
the  Rapids,”— nor  heard  the  44  bell  of  St.  Anne’s  toll  its 
evening  chime;”  while  the  same  lines  give  to  distant  regions, 
previously  consecrated  in  our  imagination,  a vividness  of  in- 
terest when  viewed  on  the  spot,  of  which  it  is  difficult  to  say 
how  much  is  due  to  the  magic  of  the  poetry,  and  how  much 
to  the  beauty  of  the  real  scene.. 


200 


TRAVELS  IN 


It  is  on  these  occasions  that  the  poet’s  fancy,  by  linking 
together  such  scenery  and  such  verse,  best  knows  how  to 
draw  all  the  world  in  his  train,  as  willing  worshippers  of  his 
genius. 

S!  Faintly  as  tolls  the  evening-  chime, 

Out  voices  keep  tune,  and  our  oars  keep  time 
* * * 

Utawa’s  tide ! this  trembling  moon 
Shall  see  us  float  o’er  thy  surges  soon. 

Saint  of  this  green  isle,  hear  our  prayers, 

G ! grant  us  cool  heavens  and  favouring  airs ! 

Blow,  breezes,  blow!  the  stream  runs  fast. 

The  Rapids  are  near,  and  the  daylight’s  past!” 

—Lines  so  beautiful,  that  no  use,  or  abuse,  has  ever  been 
able  to  render  them  common-place. 

I am  tempted  farther  to  transcribe  part  of  the  note  which 
Mr.  Moore  appended  to  the  publication  of  this  song  at  its 
first  appearance,  because,  while  I know  by  experience  that 
his  prose  descriptions  are  strictly  true  to  the  feelings  which 
those  scenes  excite,  they  are  scarcely  less  poetical  in  thought 
and  expression  than  the  song  itself. 

44 1 remember,”  says  this  accomplished  traveller,  4 4 when 
we  have  entered  at  sunset  upon  one  of  those  beautiful  lakes 
into  which  the  St.  Lawrence  so  grandly  and  unexpectedly 
opens,  I have  heard  this  simple  air  with  a pleasure  which  the 
finest  compositions  of  the  first  masters  have  never  given  me; 
and  now,  there  is  not  a note  of  it  which  does  not  recall  to 
my  memory  the  dip  of  our  oars  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  the 
Sight  of  our  boat  down  the  Rapids,  and  all  those  new  and 
fanciful  impressions  to  which  my  heart  was  alive  during  the 
whole  of  this  very  interesting  voyage.” 

It  was  singularly  gratifying  to  discover,  in  connexion  with 
the  thoughts  awakened  by  these  reflections,  that  to  this  hour 
the  Canadian  Voyageurs  never  omit  their  offerings  to  the 
shrine  of  St.  Anne  before  engaging  in  any  enterprise;  and 
that  during  its  performance,  they  omit  no  opportunity  of 
keeping  up  so  propitious  an  intercourse.  The  flourishing 
village  which  surrounds  the  church  on  the  44  Green  Isle”  in 
question,  owes  its  existence  and  support  entirely  to  these 
pious  contributions.  Captain  Franklin  pointed  out  to  us  one 
of  the  Canadians  of  his  own  party,  who  had  accompanied 
him  during  the  whole  of  his  adventurous  journey,  and  who 
was  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  this  sacred 
duty,  that  when  on  the  most  northern  coast  of  America,  not 
less  than  two  thousand  miles  from  the  spot,  he  requested  an 
advance  of  wages,  that  an  additional  offering  might  be  trans* 


LOWER  CANADA. 


2 01 


ml  tied,  by  the  hands  of  a friend,  to  the  shrine  of  his  tutelar 
Saint. 

I suspect  that  our  recent  intercourse  with  Niagara,  and  the 
many  wild  and  curious  scenes  in  the  interior  of  Upper  Ca- 
nada, together  with  our  descent  of  the  Rapids,  must  have 
spoiled  us  in  some  degree  for  the  ordinary  business  of  life, 
and  made  scenes  and  circumstances  look  very  tame,  which, 
if  taken  in  the  reverse  order,  might  have  proved  highly  amus- 
ing. I find  it  difficult  otherwise  to  account  for  the -languid 
interest  with  which  we  set  about  viewing  the  great  and  busy 
town  of  Montreal,  or  the  indifference  which  I struggled  in 
vain  to  throw  off,  as  to  the  politics  of  Lower  Canada,  although 
the  topic  was  then  swallowing  up  every  other  consideration. 
An  election  was  going  on  in  the  city,  and  now  and  then  there 
was  a row  in  the  streets,  not  Unworthy  of  Covent  Garden, 
where  the  public-spirited  voters  sometimes  love  to  vindicate 
the  freedom  of  election,  by  trying  to  knock  out  the  unpopu- 
lar candidate’s  brains.  The  boys  kept  scampering  up  and 
down  the  streets,  bawling  out  Pappinau!  Pappinau!  while 
the  walls  were  chalked  and  placarded  at  every  corner  with 
44  Pappinau  pour  toujours!”  and  there  were  sundry  proces- 
sions through  the  town  by  mobs,  which  cheered  one  party 
.and  hissed  the  other,  in  the  most  approved  style  of  party 
manners. 

Nevertheless,  even  although  I had  access  to  the  best  in- 
formed company  on  both  sides,  and  had  the  farther  advan- 
tage of  forming  an  acquaintance  with  some  of  the  most  zeal- 
ous of  the  opposition  party,  I could  never  bring  myself  to 
take  any  very  sincere  interest  in  these  local  questions.  Every- 
body, indeed,  appeared  so  perfectly  contented,  and  all  that 
1 could  see,  hear,  or,  read  about  the  province,  showed  the 
inhabitants  to  be  in  the  enjoyment,  practically  speaking,  of 
such  numerous  and  substantial  blessings,  political  and  do- 
mestic, that  I found  it  impossible  to  sympathize  deeply  in 
their  speculative  misery,  when,  in  point  of  fact,  they  pos- 
sessed, as  it  appeared  to  me,  every  thing  that  rational  men 
could  desire,  and  more,  perhaps,  than  any  other  country  in 
the  world. 

Possibljq  had  I studied  the  subject  more  attentively,  I 
might  have  found  my  ideas  changed ; and,  although  I am  half 
ashamed  of  not  having  done  so,  I regret  it  the  less,  from  ob- 
serving that  the  subject  has  lately  been  taken  up  by  the 
House  of  Commons,  and  has  been  investigated  with  a mi- 
nuteness which  it  was  utterly  impossible  I could  have  found 
time  for,  and  under  circumstances  much  more  advantageous 
fthan  any  within  my  reachP  even  when  on  the  spot.  So  that 


TRAVELS  IN 


202 

a reference  to  the  Parliamentary  Report,  and  to  the  Evidence 
before  the  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  ordered  to 
be  printed  on  the  22d  of  July,  1828,  will  afford,  as  far  as  I 
am  able  to  judge,  much  fuller  information  than  any  I could 
have  brought  away  with  me,  had  I been  ever  so  industrious. 

It  was  my  intention,  however,  notwithstanding  the  appear- 
ance of  this  Report  and  Evidence,  to  have  inserted  at  this 
place  a sketch  of  the  discussions  alluded  to;  but  I have  thought 
it  right  to  suppress  it,  in  consequence  of  the  recent  changes 
in  that  quarter,  and  the  disposition  which  really  appears  to 
exist  on  both  sides,  to  start  afresh,  to  turn  over  a new  leaf, 
and  to  join  cordially  in  advancing  the  prosperity  of  a country 
so  highly  gifted  by  nature  and  by  fortune. 

The  navigation  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  as  far  as  Montreal, 
is  performed  by  ships  as  well  as  by  boats,  there  being  no 
Rapids  or  other  obstructions,  except  here  and  there  some 
shoals  and  winding  passages, where  the  sand  and  mud  brought 
down  by  the  Ottawa,  and  other  streams,  have  gradually  been 
deposited  in  some  of  those  openings  or  lakes  already  men- 
tioned; in  which  places  the  current  is  so  gentle,  that  it  has 
no  longer  strength  enough  to  carry  along  these  washings  of 
the  upper  country. 

We  reached  Quebec  on  the  26th  of  August,  in  time  to  take 
a long  walk  round  the  works.  I never  remember  being  more 
sensible  how  fertile  a source  of  mortification  it  is  to  a tra- 
veller to  have  no  means  of  describing  with  accuracy  some  of 
those  things  with  which  he  becomes  so  easily  acquainted.  It 
thus  often  happens,  perversely  enough,  that  during  the  mo- 
ments of  the  highest  travelling  gratification,  a pang  of  disap- 
pointment comes  across  him  and  mars  half  his  pleasure. 

We  had  been  plagued  for  so  long  a time  with  fiat  coun- 
tries, generally  tame,  and  without  features  of  any  boldness, 
that  our  eyes  rested  with  satisfaction  upon  the  graceful  ranges 
of  mountains  in  the  north,  piled  high  upon  one  another,  and 
receding  far  back  into  the  interior.  The  main  outline  of  these 
ranges,  though  generally  undulating,  was  not  without  touches 
of  asperity  here  and  there,  which,  by  their  abruptness,  gave 
a tone  of  decision,  or  of  spirit,  to  the  scenery  in  the  northern 
and  eastern  directions.  This  was  still  more  remarkable  as  the 
sun  went  down,  by  which  the  successive  ridges  were  deprived 
of  light  one  after  the  other,  and  many  of  the  valleys  between 
them — entirely  unseen  in  the  full  glare  of  day-light—became 
conspicuous  by  the  deep  masses  of  shade  which  pointed  out 
their  situations. 

The  foreground,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  the  middle 
distance  of  the  prospect  in  the  north-eastern  quarter,  in  the 


LOWER  CANADA, 


203 


direction  of  the  left  bank  of  the  river  looking  towards  the 
sea,  consisted  of  many  leagues  of  land  cultivated  almost  like 
a garden,  along  a gentle  slope,  rising  but  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence, which  here  resembles,  what  in  fact  it  may  almost  be 
called,  an  arm  of  the  sea.  The  first  or  lower  range  of  hills 
was  marked  at  about  one  third,  or  one  quarter  of  its  height, 
by  a broad  and  nearly  continuous  line  of  white  houses,  inter- 
spersed with  fruit  trees,  and  rows  of  poplars,  tall  church  stee- 
pies,  and  many  other  symptoms  of  proximity  to  a “towered 
city.”  The  much-frequented  road  to  the  Fallsof  Montmorency 
passed  through  this  populous  suberb.  But  the  Falls  them- 
selves were  not  distinguishable  from  Quebec,  although  the 
mouth  of  the  ravine  down  which  the  river  flows  could  be  seem 

More  to  the  east  lay  the  great  Island  of  Orleans,  dividing 
the  river  into  two  channels.  The  tide  was  ebbing  when  we 
first  arrived,  and  then  the  St.  Lawrence  had  there  all  the 
appearance  of  a river.  But  when  the  flood  made,  shortly  afi° 
terwards,  the  water  changed  its  direction,  and  gushed  up- 
wards with  great  velocity  between  the  narrow  gorge  in  the 
estuary,  formed  on  the  south  by  Point  Levi,  a wooded  range 
of  moderate  height,  and  on  the  north  by  the  rocky  promontory 
on  the  extreme  point  of  which  Quebec  is  built,  surmounted 
by  the  impregnable  citadel  of  Cape  Diamond,  which  again 
overlooks  the  well-known  plains  of  Abraham. 

Just  abreast  of  the  town,  at  the  commencement  of  this  nar- 
now  place,  a crowd  of  shipping  were  lying  at  anchor,  with 
their  sterns  turned  up  the  stream,  and  their  flags  blowing  out 
to  sea  with  the  breeze  from  the  west  Boats  of  all  descrip- 
tions speckled  the  whole  harbour  and  the  bay,  as  far  as  we 
could  see,  and,  according  as  they  were  near  the  high  shore 
or  far  off,  they  fell  within,  or  escaped  the  shadows  of  the  hills, 
which  were  now  extending  themselves,  in  long  dark  patches, 
over  the  surface  of  the  water  from  west  to  east.  Some  of  these 
boats  were  under  sail,  but  most  of  them  were  rowing  backwards 
and  forwards,  in  very  lively  style,  round  a great  lumbering 
steam  ferry-boat,  the  deck  of  which  presented  a dense  mass  of 
heads,  crossing  and  recrossing  from  the  town  to  Point  Levi. 

We  saw  all  this  from  the  verandah  of  the  chatteau,  or  go- 
vernment-house, which,  perched  on  the  very  edge  of  a per- 
pendicular precipice,  several  hundred  feet  high,  completely 
overlooks  the  Lower  Town,  as  it  is  called.  1 wish  I could 
give  a picture  of  this  extraordinary  mass  of  confusion,  which 
is  quite  as  irregular  in  shape,  height,  position,  and  colour,  as 
many  of  the  extravagant  parts  of  the  Old  Town  of  Edinburgh. 
The  roofs  are  very  steep,  being  so  constructed  that  the  snow 
may  be  shelved  off  in  winterj  but  are  stuck  full  of  storm- 


204 


- TRAVELS  IN 


windows,  galleries,  platforms,  cupolas,  and  every  kind  of  pro- 
jection— really  a very  singular  spectacle.  'About  one  quar-  | 
ter  of  these  strangely  jumbled  abodes  are  covered  at  top  with  | 
sheet-tin,  and  some  of  them  have  their  walls  also  plated  in,l 
this  manner.  But  the  greater  number  are  roofed  after  the  « 
ordinary  fashion  of  American  houses,  with  wooden  shingles — 
and  every  house  is  painted,  to  protect  it,  I presume,  from  1 
the  violent  heat  of  the  sun  in  summer.  Be  this  as  it  may,  I 
the  effect  of  the  whole  is  very  lively. 

Few  things  are  more  fatiguing  than  sight-seeing,  or  what  | 
is  called  seeing  the  lions,  except,  perhaps,  going  intocompa-  J 
ny  when  quite  worn  out  with  the  said  duties.  At  least,  I 
have  often  sighed  with  much  bitterness  of  spirit  when,  after  •! 
a long  day  of  travelling,  or  any  other  kind  of  exercise,  I have  ) 
commenced  the  more  passive,  but  far  more  irksome  toil  of  J 
conversing,  when  all  my  ideas  were  fled. 

I remember  one  evening,  at  Quebec,  going  to  a party, 
'where,  if  the  honest,  though  perhaps  uncivil  truth,  must  be  i 
told,  I was  employed,  for  the  first  hour,  in  the  most  labori-  * 
ous,  but  often  ineffectual  attempts  to  keep  myself  awake  in 
spite  of  the  good-humour,  and  the  hospitality  by  which  I was  a 
surrounded.  The  learned  conversation  of  a highly  informed 
clergyman  was  not  more  effectual,  I am  ashamed  to  say,  in 
keeping  me  from  nid-nid-nodding!  At  length,  a military 
friend,  perhaps  discovering  the  predicament  I was  in,  tried  - 
to  rouse  me  by  asking  some  questions,  I forget  what,  about  j 
Loo  Choo,  or  Cape  Horn — new  topics.  This  caused  me  to  1 
open  one  eye  pretty  wide,  and  to  answer  in  a manner,  I fear, 
not  very  germain  to  the  matter;  but  the  other  optic  hung  low  i 
down  still,  and  refused  to  budge,  though  I was  pulling  the  i 
lid  up  with  all  my  might.  At  this  unhappy  juncture,  for  I I 
was  fully  conscious  of  my  own  irremediable  drowsiness,  the  j 
servant  opened  the  door,  and  in  flew  a bat. 

In  one  moment  all  the  room  was  in  an  uproar;  my  two  i! 
companions  fled — church,  and  state  abandoned  me — -one  lady 
made  a run  for  the  door,  and  was  out  of  sight  in  a twinkling; 
tw  enty  voices  were  opened  at  once  on  the  poor  little  wretch, 
who  was  at  last  whisked  to  the  floor  by  the  corner  of  an  ar-  1 
tillery  man’s  pocket  handkerchief;  after  which  the  whole  par- 
ty, for  some  minutes,  were  absorbed  in  the  capture  and  exa- 
mination of  the  intruder.  For  my  part,  I felt  so  grateful  to  -l 
the  little  fellow  for  rescuing  me  from  the  arms  of  the  drowsy 
god.  into  which  I had  been  fast  falling,  that  I pleaded  hard 
against  his  being  imprisoned  under  a tumbler,  “to  see  how 
he  would  look  in  daylight,”  and  the  door  which  led  to  the 
flower-garden  being  thrown  open,  the  gentleman  with  the 


LOWER  CANADA, 


205 


sooty  wings  was  launched  into  the  chilly  air  of  a Canadian 
August  night.  This  adventure  having  attracted  us  abroad, 
we  were  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  a magnificent  Aurora  Bo- 
realis- — not  flitting  about  as  usual,  but  steadily  glowing  in  a 
great  arch,  extending  from  north-west  to  north-east,  and 
serving,  in  the  absence  of  the  moon,  which  had  retired  an 
hour  before,  to  illuminate  all  the  country  round.  As  we 
drove  home,  we  could  even  see  the  meteor,  or  whatever  else 
it  be,  reflected,  quite  distinctly,  in  the  broad  bosom  of  the 
St.  Lawrence. 

There  certainly  is  a sort  of  divinity  which  fixes  itself  in 
capitals,  all  over  the  world,  as  contradistinguished,  I mean, 
from  provincial  towns.  The  offices  of  hospitality  to  strangers, 
it  is  said,  are  sometimes  not  so  well  attended  to  there,  in 
consequence,  perhaps,  of  the  great  numbers,  as  in  places  more 
remote.  But  this  is  generally  the  traveller’s  fault,  not  that 
of  the  capital,  where,  undoubtedly,  if  he  have  proper  intro- 
ductions, and  manage  well  in  other  respects,  he  will  gene- 
rally find  more  to  repay  him  than  if  he  had  travelled  ten 
times  as  long  in  other  parts  of  the  country.  Besides  which, 
there  is  always  found  in  the  chief  city  of  every  country  much 
of  that  “ease,  which  marks  security  to  please,”  and  all  the 
Forms  of  daily  life  are  gone  through  without  effort,  or  any  of 
that  cumbersome  kind  of  awkwardness  which  we  often  see 
elsewhere,  but  which  is  unknown  at  head-quarters.  Accord- 
ingly, our  stay  at  Quebec  was  very  agreeable,  and,  had  not 
that  city  been  already  described,  and  over  described,  I might 
venture  to  try  my  hand  upon  so  interesting  a topic.  In  the 
meantime,  I shall  pass  on  to  a visit  we  paid  to  the  country 
amongst  the  French  peasantry,  who  form  the  mass  of  the  po- 
pulation in  Lower  Canada. 

We  left  Quebec  at  half  past  nine  in  the  morning  of  the 
28th  of  August,  and  after  an  hour  and  a half’s  drive,  came 
to  the  River  Montmorency,  over  which  there  had  been  a 
bridge,  that  about  six  weeks  before  had  tumbled  down,  and 
what  was  absurd  enough,  there  seemed  every  probability  of 
its  remaining  down  six  weeks  longer;  though  an  active  car- 
penter with  some  twenty  labourers,  might  easily  have  put  it 
up  again,  and  made  it  passable  for  carriages  in  two  days.  I 
never  saw  any  country  where  this  sort  of  things  appeared 
to  move  so  slowly  as  in  Canada. 

I don’t  know  what  the  Falls  of  Montmorency  may  be  in 
the  rainy  season,  but  certainly  when  we  saw  them — I speak 
it  advisedly,  as  the  newspapers  say— nothing  could  be  more 
contemptible.  In  winter,  I am  told,  a cone  or  sugar  loaf  of 
enormous  magnitude  is  formed  on  the  rocks  at  the  base  of 


206 


TEAVELS  IN 


the  Falls  by  the  continued  addition  of  ice  and  snow.  In  sum-  . 
mer,  however,  there  is  little  to  repay  the  trouble  of  a visit.  | 
Though,  to  be  sure,  it  is  very  possible,  that  Niagara  had 
spoiled  us  for  every  other  waterfall. 

But  if  the  natural  beauties  disappointed  us,  the  smiling 
works  of  man,  and  the  still  more  smiling  looks  of  the  black-  i 
eyed  French-looking  women,  and  the  nice  clean  lively  chil- 
dren, with  great  broad  straw  hats,  delighted  us  all  the  way  f 
from  Quebec  to  St.  Anne’s— a distance  of  twenty-five  or  *1 
thirty  miles  through  a country  very  densely  peopled,  where  |j 
the  houses  lie  close  to  the  road' — each  with  its  narrow  strip  , 
of  cultivation  behind  it,  fenced  off  in  parallel  lines.  Nothing 
we  had  yet  seen  in  America  could  pretend  to  rival  these  1 
white-washed  cottages,  capped  with  sharp-pointed  tin-covered  \ 
roofs,  all  very  fantastic  and  old-fashioned.  The  lintels  of 
the  doors  and  the  sills  and  sides  of  the  windows,  also,  were  J 
painted  black,  with  steps  or  tiers  of  flower-pots  ranged  along 
them,  behind  railings  matted  with  creepers  in  full  blossom, 
so  as  to  make  us  feel  as  if  we  were  in  Italy  or  in  the  south  of  J 
France. 

I need  hardly  say,  that  nothing  like  a tavern  is  to  be  seen  | 
in  this  primitive  part  of  the  country;  but  we  were  most  "i 
kindly  lodged,  on  moderate  terms,  in  a comfortable  French 
farm  house; — a neat  stone  mansion,  very  clean,  and  wTell  or- 
dered. The  kitchen,  or  outer  room,  wras  warmed  in  winter, 
they  told  us,  by  an  immense  fire-place,  in  the  partition  wall 
between  it  and  the  principal  apartment:  but  besides  this,  j 
nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  kitchen,  or  public  apartment, 
there  stood  a large  iron  box,  like  the  money  chest  of  some 
wealthy  merchant.  I was  at  a loss  to  conceive  what  it  could 
be,  and,  after  making  a circuit  of  the  unknown  object,  begged 
,to  know  what  it  was.  “Ah,  Monsieur,’’  said  the  kind 
hostess,  “you  have  not  wintered  in  Canada,  or  you  would 
not  ask  what  this  is  for,’’  patting  the  box  with  her  hand. 
She  then  explained  that  this  was  the  stove,  from  which  the 
pipes,  or  flues,  and  other  appendages,  were  removed  in  sum- 
mer, which  gave  it  the  appearance  of  a chest.  “ Were  it  not 
for  this  little  fellow,”  she  continued,  playfully,  “ we  should 
all  die  of  cold  here.” 

Besides  this  lumbering,  but  essential  piece  of  furniture, 
the  kitchen  contained  substantial  wooden  sofas,  painted  sky 
blue,  grouped  with  great  chests  of  drawers,  and  about  a do- 
zen old-fashioned,  rudely-carved  arm-chairs,  the  seats  of 
which  consisted  of  thongs  made  of  the  tough  bull  hide;  more 
comfortable  from  their  elasticity,  than  elegant  in  their  ap- 
pearance. 


LOWER  CANADA, 


207 


The  inner  apartments,  reserved  for  show,  or  for  the  acconw 
modation  of  chance  tourists  like  ourselves,  were  more  gaily 
tricked  out  with  glossy  furniture — cupboards,  sparkling  with 
china-ware  and  crystal,  and  walls  gorgeous  with  mirrors! 
so  uneven,  however,  in  their  surfaces,  that  I was  fain  to  re- 
lieve my  eyes  by  turning  to  the  pictures  of  Virgins,  mar- 
tyrs, and  crucifixions,  suspended  round  the  chamber,  in  com- 
pany with  a grand  series  of  coloured  prints,  representing 
the  life  and  adventures  of  that  celebrated  reprobate,  l ’en- 
fant prodigue — the  Prodigal  Son — a history  which,  by  a 
strange  perversion  of  its  original  import,  has,  1 fear,  sent  al- 
most as  many  wild  chaps  on  their  land  travels,  as  the  voy- 
ages of  Robinson  Crusoe  are  said  to  have  lured  incorrigible 
.runagates  to  sea.  Be  this  as  it  may,  there  is  surely  more 
excitement  to  mischief,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  in  the  picture 
which  in  the  French  edition  bears  the  title  of  “ L’Extrava- 
gance  dans  l’exces,”  than  is  counteracted  by  the  lesson  of 
degradation  in  the  next,  which  represents  our  friend  in  the 
act  of  feeding  pigs|-— especially  when  the  balance  is  again 
turned  in  his  favour,  by  the  goodly  feasting  at  the  close,  to 
the  no  small  surprise,  and  not  very  unreasonable  indignation, 
of  the  good  honest  soul  of  an  elder  brother,  who  has  been 
plodding  hard  at  the  plough  in  the  back  ground!  during  the' 
wicked  galivantings  of  Signor  Scamp! 

After  a well-dressed  dinner  served  in  the  same  agreeable 
. style  with  every  thing  else,  we  took  a stroll  for  an  hour  or 
two  amongst  the  houses  in  the  neighbourhood.  These  good 
people — the  Jeans  Baptistes,  as  the  French  peasantry  in 
Canada  are  familiarly  called — chatted  quite  pleasantly  with 
us!  f°r  no  persons  could  be  better  bred,  more  cheerful,  or  ap- 
parently more  happy,  than  they  seemed  to  be  in  their  com- 
fortable little  cottages.  They  spoke  French  exclusively, 
and  told  us  that  the  whole  inhabitants  of  the  districts  we 
had  passed  through,  were  tenants  of  the  great  landed  pro- 
prietors, to  whom  they  paid  rent,  and  they  all  declared  they 
wished  for  no  changes  of  any  kind.  Happy  mortals! 

As  we  walked  through  the  enclosures,  we  heard  people 
singing  in  different  quarters,  and  though  we  saw  no  dancing, 
there  was  every  appearance  of  hilarity  and  contentment, 
untarnished  by  any  thing  like  poverty  or  wretchedness. 

We  took  along  sleep  next  day,  the  29th  of  August,  though 
I suspect  most  tourists  in  our  place  would  have  been  up, 
and  brushing  away  the  morning  dew  by  half  past  five  or  six 
o’clock.  But  we  lay  snoosing  very  snugly  to  our  good  land- 
lady’s infinite  surprise,  for  she  had  been  accustomed,  she 
said,  to  see  people  always  in  a hurry.  For  my  part,  I have 


208 


TRAVELS  IN 


found  by  experience,  that  as  it  is  not  possible  to  see  every 
thing  that  is  worth  seeing  in  a foreign  country,  any  more 
than  it  is  possible  to  read  every  book  which  is  worth  study- 
ing in  a library,  there  is  generally  more  eventual  profit  in 
viewing  a few  things  well,  than  in  running  over  a great 
number  slightly.  This,  however,  is  not  always  literally 
true;  for  it  will  sometimes  happen  in  travelling,  that  many 
things  come  in  the  way,  of  which  a single  glance  is  suffi- 
cient to  convey  much  lasting  pleasure  and  information;  but, 
in  the  long  run,  the  maxim  will  hold  good,  which  recom- 
mends a careful  notice  of  a few  things  only. 

At  all  events,  be  the  philosophy  of  this  as  it  may,  there  is 
certainly  more  satisfaction  in  taking  one’s  morning  nap  before 
setting  out,  than  in  rising  with  the  stupid  cocks  who  have 
nothing  else  to  do  but  crow.  Besides  which  considerations, 
there  is  always  ample  daylight  to  wear  out  our  strength  if 
we  choose  to  push  human  nature  to  the  utmost  limits.  So 
that  we  leisurely  travellers — who  despise  and  abhor  the  idea 
of  ‘‘getting  over  a stage  before  breakfast” — in  the  end,  do 
just  as  much  as  your  early  stirring  folks;  with  this  difference, 
that  we  make  the  journey  a pleasure — they  a toil. 

The  grand  mistake,  however,  into  which  most  people  fall, 
is  the  obligation  which  they  bring  upon  themselves,  of  see- 
ing a certain  set  of  objects,  and  taking  it  for  granted,  that 
in  the  mere  act  of  making  out  a visit  to  these  things,  the 
whole  duty  of  man  consists.  Now  it  has  long  appeared  to 
me,  and  I acted  upon  this  principle  in  the  present  journey, 
that  these  said  local  wonders,  of  which  every  spot,  alas! 
has  abundance,  are  merely  accessaries  to  the  general  end  of 
amusement  or  instruction — not  principals  to  which  every 
thing  else  is  to  give  way. 

Our  nominal  object,  for  example,  on  the  day  in  question, 
was  to  see  the  Falls  of  St.  Anne;  but  because  that  was  the 
specific  name  which  the  jaunt  bore,  was  our  night’s  rest  to 
be  thrown  away?  Were  we  to  snatch  hasty  cold  meals,  or 
scald  our  throats  with  boiling  tea,  instead  of  doing  such  bu- 
siness at  leisure,  merely  because  a waterfall  was  to  be  seen? 
Would  it  not  wait?  Were  we  to  wear  and  tear  ourselves 
to  pieces,  to  say  nothing  of  the  panting  drivers  and  horses, 
in  order  to  scamper  to  a place,  and  scamper  back  again,  by 
a given  minute,  for  no  earthly  reason  but  because  other  tou- 
rists generally  accomplish  the  same  distance  in  the  same  in- 
terval? In  short,  is  it  wise,  at  any  time,  to  grasp  at  a parcel 
of  shadows,  and  miss  so  many  of  the  substantial  pleasures 
of  travelling?  Surely  it  is  an  improvement  upon  this  cock- 
neyfied  method  of  moving  over  the  earth’s  surface,  to  jog 


LOWER  CANADA. 


209 


pleasantly  along,  make  ourselves  happy  with  the  ordinary 
allowance  of  sleep!,  and  of  company,  and  all  quietly!  then 
superadding,  afterwards,  as  so  much  clear  gain,  what  plea- 
sures are  to  be  picked  up  from  the  contemplation  of  the  dra- 
gons and  giants  which  fortune  directs  to  our  path,  without 
making  travelling  Knights  Errant  of  ourselves,  and  tilting  at 
every  thing  good  or  bad. 

But  to  travel  in  this  leisurely  style,  you  must  keep  your- 
selves to  yourselves,  and  shun,  as  you  would  that  of  an  evil 
spirit,  the  assistance  of  guides,  chaperons,  or  companions, 
and  above  all,  that  of  well-informed  friends.  Had  we  been 
accompanied,  for  example,  on  our  excursion  to  St.  Anne’s 
by  any  of  the  very  pleasant  and  obliging. people  of  Quebec, 
to  whom  every  foot  of  the  ground  is  well  known,  what  a fuss 
they  would  have  been  in,  on  finding  their  victim  was  only 
beginning  to  think  of  shaving  two  hours  after  he  ought,  by 
their  reckoning  to  have  been  under  all  sail  on  the  mountain’s 
side,  and  half  way  to  the  Falls,  in  full  cry  after  the  pictu- 
resque! These  fidgets  would  have  been  still  more  intolera- 
ble to  themselves  and  to  us,  if  they  had  seen  us  wasting  our 
.time  gossiping  with  tbe  natives — after  a long,  desultory  sort 
of  breakfast— instead  of  packing  up  our  sketch-books  and 
journals,  as  if  all  nature  was  running  away  from  us. 

On  the  30th  of  August,  we  accompanied  a picnic  party 
from  Quebec  to  the  village  of  Lorette,  inhabited  chiefly  by 
Huron  Indians,  a tribe  rapidly  melting  away  under  the  com- 
bined action  of  civilization  and  whiskey.  They  very  kind- 
ly got  up  a dance  in  our  presence,  and  accompanied  them- 
selves with  cries  and  gesticulations  sufficiently  savage  to  es- 
tablish their  aboriginal  identity. 

Next  day  we  crossed  to  the  right  bank  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence, and  visited  the  Chaudiere  or  Kettle  Falls,  so  called, 
I believe,  in  consequence  of  a number  of  holes  worn  by  the 
stream  in  the  surface  of  the  rocks,  into  the  shape  of  pots  and 
pans.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  river  happened  to  be  so  low, 
that  there  was  nothing  in  the  way  of  cascade  to  be  seen!  and 
upon  the  whole,  wre  felt  a malicious  satisfaction  at  the  cir- 
cumstance, for  we  were  beginning  to  get  rather  tired  of  wa- 
terfalls. Independently  of  which,  it  is  sometimes  quite  a 
relief  to  be  spared  the  pain  of  inexpressible  admiration. 


210 


BRITISH  NORTH 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

'Before  taking  a final  leave  of  the  British  North  Ameri- 
can Provinces,  I think  it  right  to  say  a few  words  in  answer 
to  two  questions  that  have  frequently  been  put  to  me  both  in 
America  and  at  home. 

46  Of  what  use  are  these  colonies  to  England  ?” 

“ Of  what  use  is  England  to  the  colonies  ?” 

A complete  answer  to  such  important  questions  would 
lead  me  into  greater  length  than  I at  present  contemplate, 
and  might  probably  carry  me  beyond  my  depth;  for  I had 
not  a full  opportunity  of  examining  this  important  topic  on 
the  spot.  The  following  sketch,  however,  may  help  to  di- 
rect the  inquiries  of  persons  who  have  leisure  to  pursue  the 
subject  farther. 

In  order  to  show  that  the  colonies  in  question  are  of  great 
value  to  England  in  a maritime  and  commercial  point  of 
view,  it  is  only  necessary  to  mention  the  fact,  that,  in  the 
year  1828,  out  of  the  two  millions  of  tons  of  shipping  which 
entered  the  several  ports  of  the  United  Kingdom,  (strictly, 
3,094,357,)  upwards  of  four  hundred  thousand  tons,  (strict- 
ly, 400,841,)  or  more  than  one-fifth  of  the  whole,  were  from 
the  North  American  colonies,  and  exclusively  British.* 

At  present,  we  enjoy  not  only  the  privilege  of  supplying 
the  provinces  with  English  goods,  but  through  them,  it  is  ge- 
nerally believed,  a large  and  increasing  quantity  of  our  ma- 
nufactures are  introduced  into  the  United  States.  It  is  ut- 
terly impossible,  indeed,  for  the  government  of  that  country, 
or  that  of  England,  to  prevent,  or  even  seriously  to  check, 
such  importations,  as  long  as  British  vessels  have  free  access 
to  the  ports  of  Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  and  Canada. 

Independently  of  this  extensive  outlet  for  the  manufac- 
tured goods  of  England,  the  intercourse  carried  on  between 
those  colonies  and  Great  Britain  employed,  in  the  year  1828, 
no  fewer  than  eighteen  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fourteen 
seamen,  (18,714.) 

In  the  same  year,  1828,  the  total  amount  of  British  ton- 
nage employed  in  trading  with  the  United  States  was  but 
little  more  than  eighty  thousand,  (strictly,  80,158,)  and  the 
number  of  seamen  employed  was  three  thousand  six  hundred 

* Parliamentary  Paper,  ordered  to  be  printed  on  the  5th  of  May, 
1829,  No.  197. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


211 


and  forty-six,  (3646.)  So  that  our  trade  with  the  North 
American  colonies  alone,  occupied  five  times  as  much  ton- 
nage, and  more  than  five  times  as  many  British  seamen,  as 
the  whole  of  the  intercourse  which  we  enjoyed  in  our  own 
ships  with  the  United  States. 

1 know  that  it  has  been  often  urged,  that  the  export  of 
British  goods  to  the  United  States  is  infinitely  greater  now 
than  it  was  to  the  colonies  before  they  revolted— and  so  un- 
doubtedly it  is.  But  people  who  make  a stand  on  this  posi- 
tion, omit  two  considerations. 

Judging  from  the  progress  made  by  Nova  Scotia,  Canada, 
and  the  other  remaining  provinces,  since  they  have  been  ad- 
mitted'to.  a thorough  commercial  companionship  with  the  mo- 
ther country,  it  is  no  more  than  fair  to  infer,  that  if  the  old 
colonies,  now  forming  the  United  States,  had  been  original- 
iy  treated  in  the  same  liberal  spirit,  they  might  never  have 
deemed  it  their  interest  to  withdraw  from  their  allegiance. 
At  this  hour,  therefore,  they  might  have  been,  if  not  equal- 
ly  populous,  perhaps  more  prosperous  than  they  now  are. 
Such,  at  least,  is  my  own  deliberate  opinion,  after  having 
viewed  both  countries. 

The  other  consideration  which  people  are  apt  to  forget,  is, 
that  however  great  the  mere  export  of  our  goods  to  the  Uni- 
ted States  may  be,  every  art  is  used  by  that  country  to  dis- 
courage their  carriage  by  British  shipping.  In  spite  of  the  - 
doctrine  of  reciprocity,  I could  very  seldom  discover  an  Eng- 
lish flag  in  the  forest  of  masts  at  New  York.  What  is  the 
cause,  I do  not  exactly  know — -such  is  the  fact,  and  the  do- 
cuments just  quoted  show  the  result. 

A similar,  or  rather  a much  greater  loss,  of  one  of  the 
largest  and  best  of  our  nurseries  for  seamen,  would  therefore 
inevitably  be  sustained  by  the  defection  of  these  colonies. 
And  I have  no  hesitation  in  expressing  my  belief,  that  this 
one  consideration  alone  outweighs,  by  many  degrees,  the 
whole  expenses  incurred  by  us  in  maintaining  the  provinces. 

By  means  of  our  present  relations  with  those  countries, 
we  command,  under  all  circumstances,  a great  variety  of 
useful  supplies  of  timber,  naval  stores,  fish,  and  other  arti- 
cles, not  only  for  ourselves,  but  for  the  important  colonies 
in  the  West  Indies,  most  of  which  we  might  in  time  of  war 
be  obliged  to  procure  at  a great  disadvantage  elsewhere,  if 
we  no  longer  possessed  the  North  American  provinces. 

These  are  a few  of  the  direct  benefits  arising  to  us  from 
the  colonies;— but  the  indirect  ones  are  still  more  important. 

It  seems  to  be  a pretty  general  opinion,  that  there  are  only 
two  alternatives  for  the  provinces  in  question; — one  is,  to  rc- 


212 


BRITISH  NORTH 


main  in  connexion  with  the  mother  country, — the  other,  to 
merge  into  the  Mare  Magnum  of  the  American  confedera- 
tion. The  probability  of  their  forming  themselves  into  a se- 
parate, independent  nation,  is  seldom  dwelt  upon,  and  is 
hardly  to  be  contemplated. 

The  maritime  resources  of  the  United  States  at  present 
are  limited,  by  climate  and  other  circumstances,  almost  ex- 
clusively to  those  parts  of  the  ocean  which  lie  on  the  Atlan- 
tic coast,  to  the  northward  and  eastward  of  the  Delaware: 
and  although  these  are  no  doubt  very  important,  and  daily 
increasing,  they  are  inconsiderable  in  comparison  with  those 
furnished  by  the  coasts  of  the  British  provinces.  The  Ame- 
rican maritime  line  does  not  embrace  above  one-third  of  the 
distance  that  ours  occupies;  it  possesses  no  single  port  or 
bay — not  even  New  York — to  compare,  in  a naval  point  of 
view,  with  Halifax,  and  various  other  harbours  of  British 
North  America,  into  which  the  largest  line-of-battle  ships 
can  sail  at  all  times  of  the  year,  and  at  all  times  of  tide.  It 
must  also  be  recollected,  that  the  climate  of  the  southern 
states  is  not  suited  to  the  production  of  hardy  seamen;  while 
the  Western  section  of  the  country,  where  the  population  is 
making  the  greatest  strides,  brings  forward  few  of  the  essen- 
tial attributes  of  a navy. 

The  fishermen,  and  other  thorough-bred  seamen,  who 
crowd  the  shores  of  the  British  provincial  line  of  coast,  are, 
numerically  speaking,  considerably  greater  than  those  of  the 
American  shore  alluded  to.  And  I have  the  best  authority 
for  stating,  that  these  men  are  not  only  eminently  loyal  to 
England,  but  heartily  desirous  of  maintaining  the  union  in- 
violate. Indeed,  both  they,  and  their  superiors  in  riches 
and  station  in  the  colonies,  have  abundant  reason,  as  I shall 
endeavour  to  show  by  and  by,  for  being  sincere  in  these  pro- 
fessions. 

The  idea,  that  the  United  States  can  obtain  possession  of 
these  provinces  by  conquest,  against  the  will  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, is  totally  out  of  the  question.  If  the  colonists  had 
substantial  reason  to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  mother  coun- 
try, such  a contingency  might  perhaps  begin  to  be  thought 
of;  but  as  long  as  they  are  treated  as  they  have  been  for  some 
years  past,  they  must  continue  to  be  fully  as  impregnable  as 
any  part  of  the  parent  state.  Besides  which,  the  genius  and 
practical  structure  of  the  American  government  are  such,. as 
to  render  that  country  entirely  unfit  to  engage  in  offensive 
hostile  enterprises.  The  militia  of  the  provinces,  even  put- 
ting the  assistance  of  regular  troops  out  of  the  question,  is 
in  every  respect  as  good  as  that  of  their  neighbours;  and 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


213 


when  fighting  on  their  own  soil,  they  would  be  equally  dif- 
ficult to  subdue.  With  a small  additional  assistance,  there- 
fore, from  us,  and  supposing  the  colonists  to  be  thoroughly 
loyal,  which  I believe  they  are,  and  am  certain  they  have 
good  reason  to  be,  any  chance  of  foreign  conquest  is  altoge- 
ther visionary.  Every  day  that  the  present  friendly  colonial 
policy  is  persevered  in,  they  will  find  more  and  more  reason 
to  be  staunch  and  true  to  themselves,  and  to  us,  besides  dis- 
covering more  reason  to  rejoice  that  they  are  not  what  is 
called  independent— a term  which,  if  we  analyze  it  closely, 
we  shall  commonly  find  a great  misnomer. 

If,  however,  we  suppose  the  British  Colonies  added  to  the 
American  Union,  the  whole  face  of  maritime  affairs  in  that 
Republic  would  at  once  be  changed.  I do  not  now  ask  whe- 
ther such  a change  would,  or  would  not,  be  for  the  better,  as 
respects  either  of  the  parties  concerned  on  that  side  of  the 
water;  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  it  would  be  a matter  of 
serious  consequence  to  England,  to  find  the  naval  resources 
of  the  United  States  trebled,  if  not  quadrupled,  at  a blow,— 
while  our  own  would  be  diminished,  if  not  exactly  in  the 
same  ratio,  certainly  to  an  amount  which,  I am  sure,  if  stated 
fairly,  would  induce  many  persons,  who  at  present  think 
lightly  of  the  colonies,  to  consider  them  as  much  more  im- 
portant possessions  than  they  are  now  supposed  to  be. 

We  must  never  forget  that  tire  ‘ cheap  defence  of  nations5 
is  not  to  be  balanced  like  a merchant’s  accounts — so  many 
pounds  debtor,  and  so  many  pounds  creditor.  We  must  look 
deeper  into  our  transactions,  and  not  think  alone  of  what  we 
expend,  but  of  what  we  keep.  And  who  is  bold  enough  to 
say,  that  if,  for  the  sake  of  a comparatively  trivial  saving  of 
money,  we  relinquish  these  noble  colonies,  we  shall  not  es- 
sentially weaken  the  foundations  of  the  wooden  wall  which 
is  proverbially  the  safeguard  of  our  island?  Besides  all 
these  considerations,  I may  just  hint  in  passing,  that  the  te- 
nure by  which  we  hold  the  West  India  Islands,  which  em- 
ploy nearly  three  hundred  thousand  tons  of  British  shipping, 
and  fifteen  thousand  seamen,  annually,  would  be  greatly 
weakened  by  the  abstraction  of  these  northern  provinces, 
from  which  their  chief  supplies  are  derived.  Neither  do  I 
say  any  thing  of  the  Newfoundland  or  Labrador  fisheries, 
those  prolific  nurseries  of  seamen;  because  their  advantages 
are  now  shared  by  the  Americans  and  by  the  French.  Yet 
it  should  not  be  forgotten,  that,  if  the  British  provinces  were 
to  become  members  of  the  American  Union,  it  is  more  than 
doubtful  whether  these  important  maritime  advantages  would 
be  any  longer  shared  by  foreign  nations. 


214 


BRITISH  NORTH 


I shall  only  farther  observe,  on  this  point,  that  the  British 
provinces  are  just  emerging  from  a state  of  infancy,  or  ra- 
ther of  youth, — that  their  numbers  are  rapidly  increasing,— 
and  that  their  demands  for  English  goods  are  more  than  keep- 
ing pace  with  the  increase  of  numbers,  in  consequence  of 
their  more  enlarged  tastes  and  greater  desire  for  refinements, 
which  have  been  fostered  underagood  government,  and  which 
may  be  expected  to  expand  still  more  rapidly  under  the  wise 
changes  recently  introduced  into  the  colonial  administration. 
These  rapidly  increasing  wants,  it  must  be  recollected, 
give  constant  employment  to  whole  fleets  of  British  ships, 
afford  a vent  for  English  manufactures  of  almost  boundless 
extent,  and  tend  to  bind  all  parties  more  closely  together. 

The  benefit  arising  to  England  from  having  so  ready  an 
outlet  for  her  surplus  population  as  these  colonies  afford,  is 
so  familiar  to  every  one,  that  it  need  not  be  dwelt  upon. 
Whatever  be  its  amount,  one  thing  is  clear, — the  advantage 
of  emigration  is  more  than  equally  shared  by  the  coloniest 
It  would  certainly  be  a source  of  mortification  to  us,  to  see 
all  cur  emigrating  fellow-subjects  relinquish  their  allegiance, 
and  become  citizens  of  another  country.  At  present,  howe- 
ver, we  have  the  satisfaction  to  think  that  the  great  body  of 
the  emigrants  who  leave  our  shores,  not  only  remain  loyal 
and  true  to  us  in  the  provinces,  but  become  a source  of  wealth 
and  political  strength  to  those  important  outworks  of  the  em- 
pire— redoubts,  as  they  may  be  called  in  the  language  of 
fortification,  by  which  the  traverses  of  the  besiegers  are  kept 
at  a respectable  distance  from  the  citadel. 

Under  judicious  management,  therefore,  on  the  part  of  the 
mother  country,  these  important  colonies,  which  are  becoming 
more  important,  every  hour,  may  not  only  be  made  more  use- 
ful, as  nominal  dependencies,  but,  in  a negative  point  of 
view, — as  politically  detached  from  the  United  States, — even 
still  more  valuable  to  us. 

In  answering  the  second  interrogatory,  “ Of  what  use  is 
England  to  the  colonies?’5  I shall  confine  myself  to  a few  of 
the  leading  advantages. 

In  the  first  place,  we  must  always  recollect,  that  however 
loyal  the  inhabitants  of  the  colonies  may  be,  and  I consci- 
entiously believe  they  really  are  so  at  this  moment,  it  w ould 
be  childish,  or  rather  symptomatic  of  dotage  in  us,  to  expect 
they  would  be  averse  to  severing  the  connexion,  if  their 
happiness  and  prosperity  as  nations  were  to  be  increased  by 
such  a separation.  Individuals,  no  doubt,  would  be  found 
there,  and  probably  in  great  numbers,  as  there  always  are 
in  revolutions,  who,  from  a stern  sense  of  loyal  duty,  would 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


215 


nail  their  colours  to  the  mast,  and  sink  or  swim  with  the 
fortunes  of  the  cause  under  which  they  have  been  bred,  and 
either  succeed,  or  be  ruined  as  British  subjects.  National- 
ly speaking,  however,  these  matters  are  never  regulated  by 
such  feelings,  but,  like  most  other  things  in  this  world,  by 
expediency;  and  I think  it  may  easily  be  shown,  that  if  the 
English  administration  maintain  the  same  enlightened  policy 
which  they  have  observed  during  the  last  few  years  tovVards 
the  colonies,  the  real  interests,  and  with  them  thb  cordial 
good-will,  of  the  inhabitants  will  be  secured,  as  long  as  we 
choose  to  maintain  the  alliance;  for  nothing,  I fully  believe, 
but  our  own  indiscretion,  can  ever  urge  them  to  court  a 
union  with  any  other  power.  The  cards,  to  use  a common 
expression,  are  completely  in  our  hands,  and  we  have  only 
to  play  them  well,  to  secure  all  the  advantages  which  it  is 
i possible  to  hope  for.  The  secret  of  the  game,  which  is 
I quite  simple,  may  always  be  found.  It  consists  exclusively 
in  consulting,  in  good  faith,  the  genuine  interests  of  the  co- 
lonies; for,  be  these  what  they  may,  they  can  by  no  possi- 
bility fail,  in  the  long  run,  to  be  ours  likewise.  The  same 
rules  which  bind  man  and  man  together,  will,  undoubtedly, 
apply  in  every  case  to  nations,  though,  in  the  instance  of  ri- 
val states,  as  they  are  called,  this  seems  always  difficult  of 
accomplishment  in  practice,  while  in  that  of  colony  and  pa- 
rent state,  the  application  appears  really  very  easy. 

The  terms,  ‘ Parent  State,’  and  ‘ Mother  Country,’  are 
not,  I think,  very  happily  chosen;  or,  to  speak  more  correct- 
ly, they  have  survived  the  period  when  they  were  appro- 
priate. If  a term,  descriptive  of  the  relations  subsisting 
between  a country  and  its  colony,  must  be  borrowed  from 
domestic  life,  it  occurs  to  me,  that  one  which  designates  a 
still  more  binding  tie  might  be  applied;  where,  although  the 
nominal  supremacy  is  given  to  the  party  who  by  nature  is 
physically  the  strongest,  the  alliance  may,  for  all  this  dis- 
tinction, be  strictly  mutual,  and  the  advantages,  to  every 
practical  intent  and  purpose,  reciprocal. 

When  the  British  provinces  are  compared  with  the  United 
States,  it  is  by  no  means  too  much  to  say,  that  the  laws, 
which,  in  fact,  are  those  of  England,  are  out  of  all  sight 
more  steady;  and,  from  that  circumstance,  besides  many 
others,  better  administered.  The  independence  of  the  co- 
lonial judiciary  is  much  greater,  not,  indeed,  nominally, 
but  in  practice,  for  reasons  which  I shall  have  occasion  to 
go  into  minutely  in  treating  of  this  branch  of  the  American 
government.  As  to  personal  freedom  and  the  protection  of 
property,  therefore,  the  colonies  are,  at  least,  equal  to  the 


216 


BRITISH  NORTH 


Americans,  and,  I fully  believ.e,  much  more  secure.  The 
foundations  of  those  powers  which  preserve  social  order,  are 
certainly  more  stable  and  better  organized  in  the  provinces 
than  in  "the  United  States.  Their  rulers  do  not  derive  their 
authority  from  those  over  whom  their  power  is  to  be  exer- 
cised; they  look,  up,  and  not  down,  for  approbation,  and  can, 
therefore,  use  that  authority  with  more  genuine  indepen- 
dence. This  doctrine,  of  course,  is  scouted  in  the  United 
States  as  altogether  heterodox;  but  the  colonies,  when  prompt- 
ed to  compare  their  condition  with  that  of  their  neighbours, 
I am  quite  certain,  will  never  find  cause  to  regret  the  dis- 
tinctions which  arise  from  this  source;  and  that  they  feel  this 
as  they  ought  to  do,  1 know  by  ample  experience. 

In  the  United  States,  places  of  power  and  eminence  de- 
pend entirely  upon  popular  caprice;  and,  consequently,  the 
candidate  must  often  submit,  per  force,  to  much  that  is  re- 
pugnant to  the  best  feelings  of  his  nature.  Where  station 
depends  for  its  continuance  upon  the  fluctuating  will  of  a 
giddy  populace,  it  must  be  frequently  bestowed  without  me- 
rit, and  still  more  frequently  be  withdrawn  without  crime. 

In  the  British  provinces  all  situations  of  honour  or  profit  are 
derived  from  the  crown.  They  are  no  doubt  sometimes  be- 
stowed on  improper  persons,  and  are  obtained  by  improper 
means.  But  can  this  be  prevented  by  any  human  devices 
yet  invented?  Are  such  things  prevented  by  the  detnocra- 
tical  institutions  of  the  United  States?  After  all,  it  is  per- 
haps better  to  be  subservient  to  a monarch  than  to  a mob.  If 
a man  must  condescend  to  smile  in  order  to  obtain  a selfish 
end,  it  is  probable  his  character  will  suffer  less  by  bowing  to 
one  man  above  him,  than  by  cringing  to  a thousand  below. 

In  the  colonies,  men  are  content  to  insist  upon  equality  of 
rights,  and  their  protection,  without  ever  dreaming  of  the 
visionary  doctrine  of  universal  equality  amongst  persons  or 
property.  In  looking  about  also  for  preferment,  suited  to 
their  station  and  capacity,  they  are  not  obliged  to  stoop  be- 
fore they  attempt  to  soar.  Their  flights,  it  may  be  said,  are 
of  no  great  elevation;  but  those  who  sincerely  desire  to  reach 
the  comparative  eminence  which  the  provincial  offices  be- 
stow, may,  generally  speaking,  be  convinced,  that  respecta- 
bility of  conduct,  united  with  sufficient  talent  and  industry 
for  the  due  performance  of  public  duties,  will  seldom  fail  to 
attract  the  attention  of  government;  and  when  such  men 
once  gain  the  station  to  which  they  aspire,  and  which  their 
knowledge  and  talents  enable  them  to  fill  with  utility,  they 
are  sure  to  retain  their  place,  under  a system  of  mutual  con- 
fidence and  proper  responsibility,  as  long  as  they  comply  con- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  217 

scientiously  and  diligently  with  the , obligations  imposed 
upon  them. 

Thus,  all  that  influential  class  of  men  in  the  colonies  who 
are  actuated  by  ambition  whether  on  the  great  or  on  the 
small  scale,  have  little  reason  to  wish  an  exchange  of  their 
present  constitutions  for  those  of  the  stormy  democracy  in 
their  neighbourhood. 

On  the  other  hand,  by  means  of  the  elective  franchise, 
which  is  very  generally  enjoyed,  the  great  bulk  of  the  people 
retain  in  their  own  hands  sufficient  political  influence  to  make 
them  feel  quite  free  and  truly  independent  in  the  situation 
where  nature  has  placed  them.  Happily,  also,  the  exercise 
of  their  political  rights,  does  not  interfere  to  any  hurtful  de- 
gree with  their  social  duties,  nor  carry  them  at  all  out  of 
their  proper  sphere  of  life. 

Thus  the  community  at  large  possess  fully  as  much,  if  not 
more  freedom,  than  their  neighbours,  while  the  best  informed 
and  ablest  members  of  it  have  better,  and  incomparably  more 
permanent  and  definite,  stimulants  to  honest  ambition  than 
the  same  class  of  men  in  the  United  States.  Neither  is  the 
peace  of  society  disturbed  by  incessant  contentions  for  tem- 
porary power,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  colonies  are  enabled 
to  manage  their  internal  affairs  upon  more  uniform  principles, 
because  they  are  confined  to  the  hands  of  experienced  and 
able  men.  All  this  is  arranged  in  direct  defiance  and  ridi- 
cule, I admit,  of  the  doctrine  of  universal  equality;  but,  ne- 
vertheless, in  a manner  strictly  conformable  to  the  decrees 
of  Providence,  as  far  as  they  are  made  known  to  us  by  the 
lights  of  experience  and  plain  common  sense. 

These  advantages,  and  many  others  of  a similar  character, 
would  immediately  be  lost  to  the  colonies,  if  their  connexion 
with  England  were  dissolved;  and  the  conviction  that  this  is 
true,  has  so  firm  a hold  on  every  reflecting  mind  in  those 
countries,  that  I feel  confident  of  their  not  only  confirming 
it  more  and  more  every  day,  but  that  they  will  seize  every 
possible  opportunity  of  assimilating  their  condition,  and  in- 
tertwining their  fortunes  still  more  with  a nation,  whose  con- 
stitution has  at  all  events  the  merit"  of  working  well,  and 
whose  prosperity  seems  to  be  at  least  equal  to  that  of  any 
other. 

The  colonists  should  bear  in  mind,  that  as  they  are  really 
and  truly  British  subjects,  they  enjoy,  in  common  with  the 
natives  of  England,  the  privilege  of  trading  from  port  to  port 
any  where  in  the  empire  at  large,  which  no  other  countries 
possess.  Nor  is  this  fair  title  to  equal  rights  with  ourselves 
any  longer  counterbalanced,  as  it  was  a few  years  ago,  by 


21S 


BRITISH  NORTH 


impolitic  restrictions  upon  their  intercourse  with  foreigners. 
Wherever  they  now  choose  to  go,  they  carry  along  with  them 
the  very  same  privileges  which  are  allowed  to  the  natives  of 
the  old  country,  and  like  them  reap  all  the  benefit  of  treaties 
made  between  foreign  nations  and  England.  Thus  they  are  as 
truly  members  of  this  powerful  empire  as  we  in  Scotland  are, 
and  they  can  no  more  be  oppressed  or  molested  by  any  other 
nation  than  we  can  be.  Meanwhile,  they  enjoy  all  the  other 
advantages  of  Englishmen,  without  being  called  upon  to  share  - 
almost  any  of  their  burdens.  The  weight  of  taxation  in  every 
one  of  the  British  colonies,  is  less  than  in  any  of  the  United 
States;  while  the  whole  expense  of  the  general  defence,  and 
especially  that  of  creating  and  maintaining  a navy,  and  keep- 
ing up  a series  of  powerful  fortresses,  is  paid  by  England 
without  demanding  any  contribution  from  them. 

The  revenues  which  the  colonies  derive  from  foreign  trade, 
are  applied  by  their  own  legislatures  to  the  internal  improve- 
ment of  the  respective  provinces; — whereas,  were  they  to  be- 
come members  of  the  American  Confederacy,  all  such  duties 
would  be  subjected  to  the  control  of  the  Congress  at  Wash- 
ington—and  every  improvement  then  made,  would  be  at  the  ■; 
expense  of  direct  taxation,  from  which  they  are  now  exempt. 
They  should  recollect,  also,  that  in  the  event  of  a separation, 
they  would  lose  the  enormous  benefit  they  now  derive  from 
the  duties  on  their  timber  and  corn  being  much  low?er  in 
England  than  those  levied  on  the  same,  or  even  better  com- 
modities, coming  from  other  countries.  That  we  benefit  by 
this,  in  the  long  run,  even  more  than  the  colonies  do,  I fully 
believe;  but  still  the  loss  to  them  of  such  sources  of  profit  - 
would  be  immense,  in  case  of  the  connexion  being  broken. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance,  not  only  to  England,  but 
to  the  colonies  likewise,  that,  as  an  integral  part  of  the  ex- 
tensive system  very  hastily  sketched  above,  the  crown  should 
retain  a considerable  share  of  influence  in  the  very  heart  of 
those  countries. 

Were  the  salaries  of  the  more  important  officers  of  govern- 
ment always  paid  by  the  mother  country,  her  influence  would, 

I think,  be  more  secure,  and  consequently  the  happiness  of 
the  colonies  more  permanent,  than  if  she  were  to  permit  them 
to  defray  the  whole  expense  of  their  civil  list.  There  is  lit- 
tle doubt,  I believe,  that  they  would  assume  that  burden,  if,  '* 
unfortunately  for  themselves,  as  well  as  for  us,  they  should 
be  called  upon  to  do  so  by  the  government  at  home.  - 

After  all,  the  trifling  expense  of  a few  of  the  civil  officers 
in  the  North  American  provinces,  together  with  the  more 
serious,  but  equally  necessary,  expenditures  for  maintaining 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


219 


the  military  and  naval  defences,  are  amply  overbalanced  by 
the  advantages  derived  from  this  connexion,  whether  they 
directly  advance  our  commercial  and  political  prosperity  as 
a naval  and  manufacturing  country,  or  whether  they  limit 
the  maritime  power  of  another  nation  whose  interests  are  not 
very  friendly  to  oursj — or  lastly,  but  not  least,  whether  they 

~ the  colonies  themselves— chii- 


whose  sunshine  they  flourish,  and  in  union  with  which  they 
enjoy  a degree  of  happiness  far  greater,  and  more  secure, 
than  any  nominal  independence  can  ever  place  within  their 
reach. 


On  the  7th  of  September,  1827,  we  recrossed  the  Cana- 
dian frontier,  and  found  ourselves  once  more  in  the  United 
States.  Our  route  lay  along  Lake  Champlain,  in  a very 
crowded  steam-boat,  filled  with  tourists  on  their  return  from 
the  north,  men  of  business  proceeding  to  New  York,  and  a 
large  party  of  Irish  emigrants,  who,  for  reasons  best  known 
to  themselves,  had  not  chosen  to  settle  in  the  Canadas,  but 
to  wander  farther  south  in  quest  of  fortune. 

There  is  always,  more  or  less,  an  air  of  sadness  in  the 
look  of  newly  arrived  emigrants.  They  have  abandoned 
one  country,  without  having  as  yet  gained  a new  one — they 
have  no  home — they  are  uncertain  as  to  the  future,  and  have 
probably  few  pleasureable  recollections  of  the  past — and 
therefore,  at  such  moments,  they  are  little  sustained  under 
privations  and  cares,  by  reflections  removed  from  the  scenes 
round  about  them. 

I was  much  struck  by  the  appearance  of  a female,  better 
dressed  than  the  rest  of  the  group  of  strangers,  sitting  apart 
from  all  the  others,  on  a bundle  containing  her  scanty  store 
of  worldly  goods  and  gear,  tied  up  in  a threadbare  handker- 
chief. Her  face,  which  was  covered  with  a much- worn  black 
lace  veil,  was  sunk  between  her  knees,  so  that  her  brow- 
seemed  to  rest  upon  her  open  hands,  which,  however,  I could 
not  well  distinguish  behind  the  veil,  as  it  hung  down  to  the 
deck,  while  every  part  of  her  dress  fell  so  gracefully  about 
her,  that  I was  reminded  of  a weeping  figure,  in  a similar 


consorts,  of  the  country  in 


CHAPTER  XY. 


220 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


attitude,  in  Raphael’s  celebrated  Loggie.  This  casual  asso- 
ciation immediately  carried  my  thoughts  back  to  the  coun- 
tries I had  left  beyond  the  Atlantic,  and  I could  not  help 
suspecting,  from  the  appearance  of  grief  in  this  desolate 
exile,  that  her  mind’s  eye,  and  with  it  the  best  feelings  of 
her  breast,  might  be  equally  far  from  the  present  scene,  but 
alasl  probably  without  one  ray  of  hope  to  lighten  her  path 
back  again. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  we  made  a delightful  voyage 
along  Lake  George,  freely  acknowledging  that  we  had  come 
at  last  to  some  beautiful  scenery  in  the  United  States — 
beautiful  in  every  respect,  and  leaving  nothing  to  wish  for. 

I own  that  Lake  George  exceeded  my  expectations  as  far  as 
it  exceeds  the  power  of  the  Americans  to  overpraise  it,  which 
is  no  small  compliment.  I began  now  to  suspect,  however, 
that  they  really  preferred  many  things  which  have  no  right 
to  be  mentioned  in  the  same  day  with  this  finished  piece  of  • 
lake  scenery.  At  all  events,  1 often  heard  Lake  George 
spoken  of  by  them,  without  that  degree  of  animation  of  which 
they  were  so  lavish  on  some  other,  and  as  I thought,  very  in- 
different topics  of  admiration. 

It  is  difficult,  I must  confess,  to  discover  precisely  what’ 
people  feel  with  respect  to  scenery,  and  I may  be  wrong  in 
supposing  so  many  of  my  Transatlantic  friends  insensible  to 
its  influence.  But  certainly  during  pur  stay  in  the  country, 
while  we  heard  many  spots  lauded  to  the  utmost  length  that 
words  could  go,  we  had  often  occasion  to  fancy  there  was  no 
genuine  sentiment  at  the  bottom  of  all  this  praise.  At  the 
time  I speak  of,  this  was  a great  puzzle  to  me:  and  I could 
not  understand  the  apparent  indifference  shown  to  the  scene- 
ry of  this  beautiful  lake  by  most  of  our  companions.  Sub- 
sequent expenence,  however,  led  me  to  see  that  where  the 
fine  arts  are  not  steadily  cultivated — where  in  fact  there  is  lit- 
tle taste  for  that  description  of  excellence,  and  not  very  much 
is  known  about  it,  there  cannot  possibly  be  much  hearty  ad- 
miration of  the  beauties  of  nature. 

Of  all  kinds  of  navigation  that  by  steam  is  certainly  the 
most  unpleasant.  There  is,  I fear,  but  a choice  of  miseries 
amongst  the  various  methods  of  travelling  by  water,  while 
that  which  is  present,  like  pains  in  the  body,  seems  always 
the  very  worst.  Tfte  only  way  to  render  the  sea  agreeable, 
is  to  make  it  a profession,  to  live  upon  it,  and  to  consider  all 
its  attendant  circumstances  as  duties.  Then,  certainly,  it 
becomes  among  the  most  delightful  of  all  lives.  I can  an- 
swer, at  least,  for  my  own  feelings  in  the  matter,  for  I have 
gone  on  liking  it  more  and  more  every  day,  since  I first 


united  states. 


22 1 


put  my  foot  on  board  ship,  more  than  six  and  twenty  years 
ago. 

But  it  is  a very  different  story  when  the  part  of  a passen- 
ger is  to  be  enacted — a miserable  truth  which  holds  good 
whether  the  water  be  salt  or  fresh,  or  whether  the  vessel  be 
moved  by  wind,  or  steam,  or  oars.  Fortunately  our  passage 
down  Lake  George  was  in  the  day-time,  for  just  as  we  had 
reached  almost  the  end  of  this  splendid  piece  of  water,  we 
heard  a fearful  crash — bang  went  the  walking  beam  of  the 
engine  to  pieces,  and  there  we  lay  like  a log  on  the  water. 
But  the  engineer  had  no  sooner  turned  off  the  steam,  than 
the  prodigious  fizzing,  together  with  the  sound  of  the  bell, 
which  was  instantly  set  a-ringing,  aided  by  the  shouts  of  the 
crew,  gave  alarm  to  those  on  shore.  In  a few  minutes  half- 
a-dozen  boats  shot  out  from  under  the  high  bank  near  the 
village  of  Caldwell,  and  towed  us  speedily  to  land.  This 
was  a shortlived  distress,  therefore,  and  rather  picturesque 
and  interesting  upon  the  whole,  as  the  twilight  was  just  about 
to  close,  and  the  magnificent  scenery  of  Lake  George,  being 
reduced  to  one  mass  of  deep  shade,  became  still  more  im- 
pressive, I thought,  than  it  had  been  even  in  full  daylight. 

But  we  had  experienced  the  true  joys  of  a steam-boat  du- 
ring the  previous  night  when  making  the  voyage  from  north 
to  south  along  Lake  Champlain.  The  machinery  was  unu- 
sually noisy,  the  boat  weak  and  tremulous,  and  we  stopped, 
backed,  and  went  on  again,  at  no  fewer  than  eleven  different 
places,  at  each  of  which  there  was  such  a racket,  that  it  wTas 
impossible  to  get  any  rest.  If  a passenger  did  manage  to 
doze  off,  under  the  combined  influence  of  fatigue,  and  the 
monotonous  sound  of  the  rumbling  wheels,  which  resembled 
eight  or  ten  muffled  kettle-drums,  he  was  sure  to  be  awaken- 
ed by  the  quick  “ tinkle!  tinkle!”  of  the  engineer’s  bell, 
or  the  sharp  voice  of  the  pilot  calling  out  66  Stop  her!”  or 
he  might  be  jerked  half  out  of  his  birth  by  a sound  thump 
against  the  dock  or  wharf.  If  these  were  not  enough,  the 
rattle  and  bustle  of  lowering  down  the  boat  was  sure  to  ba- 
nish all  remaining  chance  of  sleep. 

In  the  cabin  there  w^as  suspended  a great  staring  lamp, 
trembling  and  waving  about,  in  a style  to  make  even  a sailor 
giddy.  While  underneath  its  rays  were  stretched  number- 
less weary  passengers — some  on  mattresses  spread  on  the 
deck,  others  on  the  lockers,  or  on  the  bare  planks — the  very 
picture  of  wo,  like  the  field  of  battle  after  the  din  of  war 
has^  ceased.  Amongst  these  prostrate  objects  of  compassion, 
various  stray  passengers  might  be  seen  picking  their  way, 
hunting  for  their  bags  and  cloaks,  and  talking  all  night,  m 
Vol.  i.  £0 


322 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


utter  disregard  of  the  unhappy  wretches  cooped  up  in  the 
sleepless  sleeping-births  round  about  them.  At  every  stop- 
ping place,  fresh  parties  either  came  on  board,  or  went  away, 
or  both,  so  that  the  overcrowded  cabin  was  one  scene  of  buzz ! 
buzz!  during  this  very  long  night. 

I went  upon  deck  once  or  twice,  when  worried  almost  to 
death  by  the  incessant  bustle,  but  the  scenery  was  not  very 
interesting;  for  though  the  moon  was  only  a little  past,  or  a 
little  before  the  full,  I forget  which,  and  the  sky  overhead 
clear  and  sparkling,  the  lower  atmosphere  was  filled  with 
a muggy  sort  of  red  haze  or  smoke,  arising,  I was  told,  from 
the  forests  on  fire,  which  gave  a ghastly  appearance  to  the 
villages  and  trees,  seen  through  such  a choky  medium.  On 
one  occasion  only,  when  this  mist  cleared  off  a little,  I was 
much  struck  with  the  appearance  of  a town  near  us,  and  I 
asked  an  American  gentleman  what  place  it  was.  “Ohi 
don’t  you  know  ? That  is  Plattsburgh — and  there  is  the 
very  spot  where  our  Commodore  Macdonough  defeated  the 
English  squadron.” — I went  to  bed  again. 

On  the  9th  of  September,  we  drove  to  Saratoga  Springs 
from  Caldwell,  a distance  of  twenty-seven  miles,  which  cost 
us  nine  hours  jolty  travelling  over  hilly  roads,  in  a most  in- 
tensely hot  and  dusty  day.  On  driving  up  to  the  door  of 
an  immense  hotel,  called  the  Congress  Hall,  the  steps  of  the 
carriage  were  let  down  by  a very  civil  sort  of  gentleman, 
whom  wre  took  for  the  master  of  the  house,  or  at  least  the 
head  waiter,  and  were  much  flattered  accordingly;  but  the 
question  he  asked  dispelled  these  visions  of  prompt  recep- 
tion. “Pray,  sir,”  he  asked  in  great  haste,  “do  you  go 
away  to-morrow  morning?” 

“ To-morrow  morning  ? No ! what  put  that  in  your  head  ?” 
“ Do  you  go  in  the  afternoon  then,  sir  ?” 

“Not  I,  certainly,”  was  my  answer;  “but  what  makes 
you  in  such  a hurry  to  set  us  a-going  again,  when  we  are 
tired  to  death  and  half  choked  with  dust  !” 

Before  he  could  muster  a reply,  or  put  another  question, 
a smart,  brushing  kind  of  man,  with  a full  drab  coat  reach- 
ing to  the  dust,  stepped  in  between  us,  and  with  more  bows 
in  two  minutes  than  I had  seen  altogether  since  landing  in 
America,  wished  us  a dozen  good  days  and  congratulations 
on  our  return  from  Canada,  and  reminded  me  of  a promise 
l had  made  to  employ  him  if  I should  want  his  assistance. 

“ Well!”  said  1,  trying  to  get  past,  “ what  is  it  you  would 
be  at  ? I don’t  want  any  thing  but  a little  rest  and  some 
dinner.  ” 

“ 0 yes,  to  be  sure,  sir,”  said  both  these  busy  gentlemen 


UNITED  STATES. 


223 


at  once;  and  pulling  out  cards  from  their  pockets,  let  me 
understand  that  they  were  rival  stage  proprietors  on  the  line 
of  road  between  the  Springs  and  Albany.  In  our  subse- 
quent journeys  amongst  the  woods,  we  often  thought,  with  a 
sigh,  of  this  solitary  instance  of  empressement,  and  would 
have  given  a great  deal,  sometimes,  to  have  been  thus  en- 
cumbered with  help.  It  did  so  happen,  by  the  way,  that  we 
met  one  of  these  obliging  personages  again,  far  away  in  the 
south,  after  we  had  travelled  more  than  a thousand  miles 
from  this  spot;  when  we  learnt  that  he  was  a complete  bird 
of  passage,-— carrying  his  horses  and  carriages  to  the  south 
in  the  winter;  and  accompanying  the  flock  of  travellers* 
back  again  to  the  north  as  soon  as  the  sickiy  season  set  in  at 
Charleston. 

As  the  dinner  hour  was  past,  we  had  to  wait  a long  while 
before  we  got  any  thing  to  eat.  This  we  had  expected;  but 
our  disappointment  was  more  serious  and  lasting  when  we 
found  that  nearly  all  the  company  had  gone  away  not  only 
from  this  watering-place,  but  also  from  Bailston,  another  fa- 
shionable resort  of  great  celebrity  in  the  neighbourhood. 
During  the  hot  season  of  the  year— when  the  greater  part  of 
the  United  States  becomes  unhealthy,  or  otherwise  disagree- 
able as  a residence,  even  to  the  most  acclimated  natives,  as 
the  local  expression  is— the  inhabitants  repair  to  the  north, 
to  these  two  spots  in  particular,  which  are  consequently 
much  crowded  during  July  and  August,  and  sometimes  du- 
ring September.  A few  days  of  cool  weather,  however,  had 
occurred  just  before  we  arrived,  which  acted  as  a signal  for 
breaking  up  the  company,  so  that  when  the  great  bell  rung 
for  supper,  the  whole  party  consisted  of  only  fourteen,  in- 
stead  of  a hundred  and  fifty*  who  had  sat  down  ten  days 
before. 

Had  we  been  sooner  aware  of  the  chance  of  missing  the 
company  at  the  Springs,  we  might  perhaps  have  managed  to 
pay  our  visit  at  a better  moment,  as  such  a meeting  of  the 
inhabitants  from  all  the  different  states  would  have  been  a 
sight  extremely  interesting  to  strangers.  I was  also  curious 
to  see  how  the  Americans,  a people  so  eternally  occupied 
and  wound  up  to  business,  would  manage  to  let  themselves 
down  into  a state  of  professed  idleness. 

Lake  George,  Saratoga,  and  Ticonderoga,  which  we  visit- 
ed, are  all  classical  and  popular  spots  in  American  history, 
while  their  names  will  doubtless  recall  many  painful  recol- 
lections  to  English  persons,  who  are  old  enough  to  remem- 
ber the  unfortunate  details  of  the  American  revolutionary 
But,  of  course^  it  is  far  otherwise  in  a country  where 


224 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


all  the  circumstances  connected  with  that  important  event 
are  treasured  up  in  the  memory,  to  be  brought  forward  as 
subjects  of  triumph  upon  every  occasion.  There  they  fur- 
nish a never-ending  theme  of  rejoicing,  especially  to  the 
company  at  the  Springs,  whose  guide-books  are  full  of  the 
details  of  General  Burgoyne’s  surrender,  and  our  other  mis- 
haps at  Saratoga.  The  names  even  of  the  subordinate  of- 
ficers who  figured  in  those  days,  are  taught  by  a kind  of  ca- 
techism at  the  schools,  in  order  to  render  them  familiar  to 
the  memory  of  every  American,  of  whatever  age  or  sex. 

There  is  certainly  no  harm  in  this — it  is  quite  natural  and 
proper- — and  as  their  history  is  short,  and  fertile  with  inci- 
dents of  a nature  pleasing  to  their  national  vanity,  it  would 
be  the  most  unreasonable  thing  in  the  world  for  a stranger  to 
complain  of,  however  often,  or  however  disagreeably,  it  may 
happen  to  cross  his  path. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Americans  ought,  I think,  to  re- 
member, that  good  reasons  may  perhaps  exist  for  our  little 
acquaintance  with  such  matters;  yet  I have  often  met  with 
people  in  that  country  who  could  scarcely  believe  me  sincere, 
and  though^  I must  be  surely  jesting,  when  I declared  my 
entire  ignorance  of  many  military  and  political  events  of 
the  period  alluded  to,  so  momentous  to  them,  however,  that 
every  child  was  familiar  with  their  minutest  details.  And 
they  would  hardly  credit  me  when  I said  I had  never  once 
heard  the  names  of  men,  who,  I learnt  afterwards,  were  high- 
ly distinguished,  on  both  sides,  during  the  revolutionary  war. 

The  same  remark  applies  to  every  part  of  our  very  limited 
knowledge  of  America,  and  all  her  concerns  past  and  pre- 
sent; and  while  the  inhabitants  of  that  country  suppose  them- ' 
selves — with  what  degree  of  justice  may  perhaps  be  gathered 
from  the  sequel— to  be  minutely  acquainted  with  every  thing 
which  has  passed  or  is  now  passing  in  England,  they  have  no 
patience  for  the  profound  state  of  ignorance  in  which  the  En- 
glish confessedly  remain  with  respect  to  them. 

I must  say,  that  I have  always  thought  this  sort  of  soreness 
on  their  part  a little  unreasonable,  and  that  our  friends  over 
the  water  give  themselves  needless  mortification  about  a mat- 
ter, which  it  would  be  far  more  dignified  to  disregard  altoge- 
ther. I say  this  with  the  more  confidence,  because  I hardly 
ever  conversed  with  a reasonable  American  on  the  subject, 
who,  when  it  wras  fairly  put  to  him,  did  not  give  his  assent 
to  this  view  of  the  case. 

The  Americans  always  forget— -though  perhaps  it  is  natu- 
ral they  should  do  so — that  while,  on  their  side  of  the  ques- 
tion, no  theme  can  be  more  gratifying  than  the  war  alluded 


i 


UNITED  STATES. 


225 


to— so  glorious  to  them,  but  so  disastrous  to  us— it  is  utterly 
out  of  nature  to  expect  that  we  should  view  it,  or  any  part 
of  it,  in  the  same  light.  Philanthropic,  public-spirited,  spe- 
culative citizens  of  the  world,  the  philosophers  of  the  present 
age,  even  in  England,  may  declare  that  all  is  for  the  best, 
and  that  free  and  independent  America  is  far  more  useful  to 
other  nations,  generally,  and  to  England  in  particular,  now, 
than  she  was  when  a colony,  or  could  ever  have  become  had 
she  not  fallen  away  from  her  allegiance.  Possibly  this  may 
be  true.  I should  be  very  happy  to  admit  it.  This  is  not, 
however,  the  point  at  issue,  and  the  speculation  may  be 
passed  by  at  presents  for  my  object  is  merely  to  show,  inde- 
pendently of  all  abstract  reasoning,  how  it  comes  about,  that 
we  are  so  ignorant  of  American  history,  and,  generally  speak- 
ing, of  all  the  internal  affairs  of  a country  with  which,  at  first 
sight,  it  may  be  supposed  we  ought,  on  many  accounts,  to 
have  no  inconsiderable  acquaintance. 

Whether,  upon  the  whole,  it  is  better  or  worse  for  us,  in 
a speculative  point  of  view,  that  we  lost  the  colonies,  the 
mortifying  fact  is,  we  did  lose  them,  after  a contest  in  which 
we  were  worsted.  We  tried  to  keep  them,  and  we  could 
not;  or,  at  all  events,  we  did  not.  Consequently,  as  far  as 
the  mere  struggle  goes,  its  details  cannot  be  considered  very 
inviting  as  historical  incidents  for  Englishmen  to  dwell  upon. 
Our  sires  and  grandsires  who  lived  in  those  days,  who  had 
friends  and  relatives  engaged  in  the  contest,  or  who  merely 
marked  the  progress  of  the  war,  from  its  first  disaster  to  its 
ultimate  failure,  have  had  little  pleasure  in  recounting  to  the 
present  generation  events  so  mortifying  to  our  national  va- 
nity; and  we,  who  were  then  either  not  in  being,  or  mere 
children,  could  have  no  agreeable  motive,  as  we  grew  up,  to 
tempt  us  to  investigate  such  a subject  for  ourselves,  or  to 
listen  to  the  tale  told  us  by  our  seniors,  in  the  bitterness  of 
their  spirit.  Even  if  we  did  hear  it  spoken  of  by  them,  it 
was  always  in  terms  which  never  encouraged  us  to  push  our 
inquiries  farther,  or  disposed  us  to  think  very  kindly  of  the 
new  countries,  which  had  gained  their  point  in  spite  of  all 
our  efforts  to  the  contrary. 

Thus  it  has  happened,  that  in  America  the  original  actors 
in  the  scene,  their  children,  and  the  race  that  has  since 
grown  up,  have  been  stimulated  by  a thousand  inspiring  mo- 
tives to  dwell  constantly,  and  with  delighted  interest,  upon 
the  minutest  details  of  that  period — to  speak  and  to  listen  to 
all  that  could  be  said — to  fight  all  the  battles,  and  slay  all 
the  slain,  over  and  over  again — in  order,  as  they  allege,  to 
dratv  practical  inferences  from  the  events  of  those  days  ap? 

gQ*  ' 1 


226 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


plicable  to  the  present  state  of  affairs.  While  we,  oil  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  in  the  old  mother  country,  who  have 
been  robbed  of  our  young,  are  not  only  left  without  any  en- 
couragement to  speak  or  think  of  such  things  with  pleasure 
at  this  hour  of  the  day,  but,  in  times  past,  have  been  deterred 
by  every  motive  of  national  and  of  personal  pride  acting  in 
concert,  from  making  such  inquiries. 

It  is  a very  true  and  schoolboy  maxim  in  the  theory  of  edu- 
cation, that  no  part  of  history  should  be  neglected  merely  be- 
cause it  may  chance  to  be  unpalatable;  but  as  there  is  no- 
thing so  congenial  to  the  mind,  or  which  acts  so  steadily  upon 
it,  as  the  removal  of  ideas  affording  rather  pain  than  pleasure, 
the  neglect  of  that  branch  of  study  relating  to  the  American 
Revolution,  and  the  intervening  political  events, has  followed, 

I suspect  inevitably,  in  England.  Possibly  it  might  have 
been  otherwise,  though  even  this  I do  not  think  very  probable, 
if  the  interval  which  has  elapsed  since  the  year  1785 — the 
date  of  the  American  peace — had  been  a mere  commonplace 
leaf  in  history;  or  if  we  had  imitated  America  in  making  it 
an  avowed  point  of  national  policy,  to  take  as  little  share  as 
possible  in  the  events  which  were  passing  in  Europe  during 
that  turbulent  period. 

The  question  is  not,  who  was  right  or  who  was  wrong,  but 
how  stands  the  fact?  The  French  Revolution,  within  a few 
years  after  the  American  war,  burst  out  like  a volcano  at  our 
very  doors,  and,  as  a matter  of  necessity,  from  which  there 
was  absolutely  no  escape,  engrossed  all  our  thoughts.  Then  j 
came  the  rise  of  Napoleon,  followed  by  hostile  coalitions  of 
mighty  empires— -threats  of  invasion  of  our  ow  n shores — and  j 
the  destruction  of  our  allies.  Presently  arose,  to  cheer  our 
prospect,  numberless  actions  of  an  opposite  character,  by  land 
and  by  sea— -from  Seringapatam  to  Waterloo,  from  the  first 
of  June  to  Trafalgar- — East  Indian  conquests — the  Peninsu- 
lar war— and  the  campaigns  on  the  continent.  These  great 
events,  it  must  be  remembered,  were  not  transient  in  them- 
selves, or  in  their  consequences,  but  endured  from  year  to 
year,  in  dreadful  trials  of  national  strength,  without  any  in- 
termission of  excitement,  through  the  greater  part  of  the  lives 
of  the  present  generation;  and  I will  now  ask — as  I have  of- 
ten asked— any  candid  American,  how  it  would  have  been, 
possible  for  us  to  look  across  the  murky  tempest  of  such  days, 
m order  to  take  a distinct  view,  or  any  view  at  all,  of  a coun- 
try lying  so  far  from  us  as  America,  which,  professedly,  and 
upon  principle,  took  almost  no  share  in  these  absorbing  to- 
pics, calculated  to  brace  every  nerve,  and  to  call  into  ener- 
getic exercise  every  faculty  of  our  minds. 


UNITED  STATES. 


227 


Various  other  circumstances  contributed  to  remove  Ame- 
rica from  our  thoughts,  besides  the  political  fact  of  her  citi- 
zens choosing  to  keep,  personally,  so  completely  aloof  from 
us,  and  from  all— good  or  bad— which  concerned  the  rest  of 
1 the  world.  In  the  first  place,  their  form  of  government,  and 

1 the  manner  in  which  it  was  administered,  so  far  as  these 

were  brought  to  our  notice  by  the  slight  intercourse  kept  up 
between  us,  had  nothing  in  them  to  attract  our  good  will, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  were  repugnant  to  all  our  preconceived 
notions  on  these  subjects,— notions  which  had  grown  with 
our  strength,  and  flourished  with  our  success,  and  whose 
soundness  occasional  failures,  such  as  that  in  America,  only 
tended  to  establish  more  firmly  in  our  minds. 

In  the  next  place,  the  Americans  took  no  pains,  or,  if  they 
■did,  they  failed  in  making  us  acquainted,  in  a popular  way, 
with  what  they  were  actually  doing.  They  contributed  no 
I great  share  to  the  general  stock  of  letters,  little  to  our  stock 
! I of  science,  and  scarcely  any  thing  of  importance  to  that  of 
i the  fine  arts;  while,  according  to  all  our  views  of  the  matter, 
they  had  actually  made  a retrograde  movement  in  the  prin- 
ciples and  practice  of  government.  Neither  do  I think  it 
will  be  contended,  even  by  themselves,  that  they  added  much 
to  what  was  already  known  in  Europe,  as  to  the  philosophy 
of  manners,  of  morals,  or  of  any  other  branch  of  intellectual 
refinement.  Thus,  they  cannot,  or,  when  brought  to  close 
quarters,  they  seldom  deny,  that  they  have  done  scarcely 
any  thing  as  yet  to  attach  us  to  them,  by  the  ordinary  means 
through  which  other  nations  have  been  cemented  together  in 
cordial  alliance  of  kindred  sentiment,  however  torn  apart, 
occasionally,  by  political  contests.  In  the  case  of  France, 
for  example,  though  it  has  long  been  the  popular  fashion  to 
call  us  natural  enemies,  there  exists  permanently,  through 
| the  hottest  wars,  a spirit  of  generous  rivalry  and  of  cordial  in- 
ternational respect,  which  both  parties  delight  to  cherish— 
but  of  which,  alas!  there  are  but  feeble  traces  in  our  rela- 
| lions  with  America— and  not  the  slightest  spark,  I greatly 
fear,  in  theirs  with  us. 

What  might  have  been  the  result  at  this  day  had  their 
form  of  government,  and  its  practical  operation,  together  with 
| the  frame-work  of  their  society,  been  less  repulsive  to  En- 
glish feelings  and  habits  of  thought  on  such  matters,  I do  not 
say — nor  is  it  my  purpose  now  to  inquire  whether  or  not  they 
are  to  blame  for  having  contributed  so  little  to  our  knowledge, 
or  for  having  taken  so  small  a share  in  the  struggles  for  the 
' cause  of  liberty  in  which  we  were  engaged.  The  well-known 
facts  above  stated,  are  all  I wish  to  dwell  upon  at  present 


22$ 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


They  are  as  undeniable,  a3  their  consequences  have  been  ine- 
vitable; and  as  long  as  things  remain  in  America  in  their 
present  state,  the  circumstances  1 have  referred  to  will  be,  as 
I conceive,  also  quite  irremediable.  The  artificial  structure 
of  society  in  the  two  countries  is,  besides,  so  dissimilar  in 
nearly  all  respects;  and  the  consequent  difference  in  the  oc- 
cupations, opinions,  and  feelings  of  the  two  people,  on  al~  ; 
most  every  subject  that  can  interest  either,  is  so  great,  and 
so  very  striking,  even  at  the  first  glance,  that  my  surprise 
is  not  why  we  should  have  been  so  much  estranged  from  one 
another  in  sentiment,  and  in  habits,  but  how  there  should  still 
remain— if  indeed  there  do  remain — any  considerable  points 
of  agreement  between  us. 

It  wall  place  this  matter  in  a pretty  strong  light  to  men- 
tion, that  during  more  than  a year  that  I was  in  America— 
although  the  conversation  very  often  turned  on  the  politics 
of  Europe  for  the  last  thirty  years— I never,  but  in  one  or 
two  solitary  instances,  heard  a word  that  implied  the  smallest 
degree  of  sympathy  with  the  exertions  which  England,  sin- 
gle-handed, had  so  long  made  to  sustain  the  drooping  cause 
of  freedom. 

It  will  be  obvious,  I think,  upon  a little  reflection,  how 
the  same  causes  have  not  operated  in  America  to  keep  her 
so  entirety  ignorant  of  England,  as  we  in  England  are  of 
America. 

Nearly  all  that  she  has  of  Letters*  of  arts,  and  of  science, 
has  been,  and  still  continues  to  be,  imported  from  us,  with 
little  addition  or  admixture  of  a domestic  growth  or  manu- 
facture. Nearly  all  that  she  learns  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  other  parts  of  the  world,  also  comes  through  the  same 
channel,  England — which,  therefore,  is  her  chief  market  for 
every  thing  intellectual  as  well  as  commercial.  Thus,  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  a certain  amount  of  acquaintance  with  what 
is  doing  amongst  us  is  transmitted,  as  a matter  of  course, 
across  the  Atlantic.  After  all,  however,  say  what  they 
please,  it  is  but  a very  confused  and  confined  sort  of  ac- 
quaintance which  they  actually  possess  of  England.  There 
was,  indeed,  hardly  any  thing  in  the  whole  range  of  my  in-  I 
quiries  in  the  United  States,  that  proved  more  different  from 
what  I had  been  led  to  expect,  than  this  very  point.  At  first 
I was  surprised  at  the  profundity  of  their  ignorance  on  this  1 
subject;  though  I own  it  is  far  short  of  our  ignorance  of  them . 

I was  also  well-nigh  provoked  at  this  sometimes,  till  I recol- 
lected that  an  opinionated  confidence  in  our  own  views,  all  j 
the  world  over,  is  the  most  prominent  characteristic  of  er- 
ror. The  Americans,  of  course,  very  stoutly,  and  I am 


■m 


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of 


UNITED  STATES. 


229 


sure  with  sincerity,  assert  their  claims  to  infallibility  on  this 
point,  and  accordingly,  they  receive,  with  undisguised  incre- 
dulity, the  more  correct  accounts,  which  a personal  familia- 
rity with  both  countries  enables  foreigners  to  furnish. 

I learnt  in  time  to  see  that  similar  causes  to  those  already 
stated,  though  different  in  degree,  in  addition  to  many  others, 
were  in  action  in  America,  to  render  England  as  ungrateful 
a topic  with  them,  as  America  is  undeniably  with  us.  The 
nature  of  the  monarchical  form  of  government,  with  its  at- 
tendant  distinctions  in  rank,  we  may  suppose,  is  nearly  as 
repugnant  to  their  tastes  as  Democracy  is  to  ours.  The  eter~ 
nal  recollections,  too,  of  all  the  past  quarrels  between  us,  in 
which — probably  for  want  of  any  other  history — they  indulge 
not  only  as  an  occasional  pleasure,  but  impose  upon  them- 
selves as  a periodical  duty,  and  celebrate  accordingly,  with 
all  sorts  of  national  rancour,  at  a yearly  festival,  render  the 
Revolutionary  war  in  which  they  succeeded,  nearly  as  fertile 
a source  of  irritation  to  them,  with  reference  to  poor  Old 
England,  though  the  issue  was  successful,  as  its  disasters 
formerly  were  to  us,  who  failed.  But  there  is  this  very  ma- 
terial, and,  I take  the  liberty  of  saying,  characteristic  diffe- 
rence between  the  two  cases: — we  have  long  ago  forgotten 
and  forgiven — out  and  out— all  that  has  passed,  and  abso- 
lutely  think  so  little  about  it,  that  I believe,  on  my  con- 
science,  not  one  man  in  a thousand  amongst  us  knows  a word 
of  these  matters,  with  which  they  are  apt  to  imagine  us  so 
much  occupied.  Whereas,  in  America,  as  I have  said  be- 
fore, the  full,  true,  and  particular  account  of  the  angry  dis- 
pute between  us — the  knowledge  of  which  ought  to  have 
been  buried  long  ago — is  carefully  taught  at  school,  cherished 
in  youth,  and  afterwards  carried,  in  manhood,  into  every  ra- 
mification of  public  and  private  life. 

If  I were  asked  to  give  my  countrymen  an  example  of  the 
extent  of  the  ignorance  which  prevails  in  America  with  re- 
spect to  England,  I might  instance  the  erroneous,  but  almost 
universal  opinion  in  that  country,  that  the  want  of  cordiality 
with  which,  I grant,  the  English  look  upon  them,  has  its 
source  in  the  old  recollections  alluded  to.  And  I could  ne- 
ver convince  them,  that  such  vindictive  retrospections,  which 
it  is  the  avowed  pride  and  delight  of  America  to  keep  alive 
in  their  pristine  asperity,  were  entirely  foreign  to  the  na- 
tional* character  of  the  English,  and  inconsistent  with  that 
hearty  John  Bull  spirit,  which  teaches  them  to  forget  all 
about  a quarrel,  great  or  small,  the  moment  the  fight  is  over, 
apd  they  have  shaken  hands  with  their  enemy  in  testimony 
such  compact 


.230 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


At  the  same  time,  I cannot,  and  never  did  deny,  that  there 
existed  amongst  us  a considerable  degree  of  unkindly  feeling  i 
towards  America;  but  this  I contended  was  ascribable,  not 
by  any  means  to  past  squabbles,  recent  or  remote,  but  almost  '• 
exclusively  to  causes  actually  in  operation,  in  their  full  force,  j 
at  the  present  moment,  and  lying  far  deeper  than  the  memo- 
ry of  those  by-gone  wars,  the  details  of  which  have  long 
been  forgotten,  even  by  the  few  eye-witnesses  who  remain, 
and  about  which  the  English  of  the  present  day  are  either  j 
profoundly  ignorant,  or— -which  comes  to  the  same  thing — » 
profoundly  indifferent.  Be  the  causes,  however,  what  they  ' 
may,  the  curious  fact  of  our  mutual  ignorance  is  indisputa- 
ble. At  least  so  it  appears  to  me;  and  I have  good  reason 
to  believe,  that  such  is  the  opinion  of  almost  every  foreigner, 
continental,  as  well  as  English,  who  has  visited  America. 
We,  however,  in  England,  as  I have  said  before,  frankly  and 
fully  admit  our  very  small  acquaintance  with  that  country; 
whereas  the  Americans,  probably  with  as  much  sincerity,  - 
proclaim  their  perfect  acquaintance  with  England.  The  con- 
clusion is  odd  enough:  both  parties  are  satisfied — they  are  j 
convinced  that  they  know  all  about  us;  and  we  are  perfect- 
ly conscious  that  we  know  nothing  about  them. 

While,  therefore,  I may  perhaps  indulge  myself  in  the  ex- 
pectation of  being  able  to  furnish  some  slight  information  to 
people  on  this  side  of  the  water  respecting  that  country,  I 
have  had  far  too  much  experience  of  the  hopeless  nature  of  the 
converse  of  the  proposition,  to  attempt  changing  the  opinions 
of  the  Americans  as  to  what  is  passing  in  England.  On  this 
topic,  indeed,  to  use  the  words  of  Burke  in  speaking  of  ano^  i 
ther  nation,  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  are,  it  is  to  j 
be  feared,  pretty  nearly— reason-proof. 


CHAPTER  XVL 


The  hotel  in  which  we  found  ourselves  lodged  at  the 
Springs  of  Saratoga,  was  of  great  magnitude, .as  may  be  in- 
ferred from  the  size  of  the  verandah  or  piazza  in  front,  which 
measured  eighty  paces  in  length,  and  twenty-five  feet  in 
height.  The  public  rooms,  also,  were  large  and  handsome, 
and  no  fewer  than  120  beds  were  made  up  in  this  one  build- 
ing. But,  with  all  this  show,  there  was  still  some  want  of 
keeping,  and  many  symptoms  of  haste,  in  every  thing,  indi 


UNITED  STATES. 


231 


cated  chiefly  by  the  absence  of  many  minor  luxuries.  On  the 
day  we  arrived,  for  example,  we  wished  one  of  the  windows 
of  the  dining-room  kept  opens  but  there  had  not  yet  been 
time  to  place  any  counterpoises,  nor  even  any  bolts  or  buttons 
to  hold  it  up.  The  waiter,  however,  as  usual,  had  a resource 
at  hand,  and  without  apology  or  excuse,  caught  up  the  near- 
est  chair,  and  placing  it  on  the  window  sole,  allowed  the  sash 
to  rest  upon  it.  The  bed-rooms,  too,  were  uncomfortable 
little  raw  sorts  of  places,  fourteen  feet  by  ten,  without  a bit 
of  paper  or  carpeting,  and  the  glass  of  the  windows  was  so 
thin  it  was  apt  to  break  with  the  slightest  jar.  Not  one  of 
these  cabins  was  furnished  with  a bell,  so  that  when  the  cham^ 
bermaid  was  wanted,  the  only  resource  was  to  proceed  to  the 
top  of  the  stair,  and  there  pull  a bell-rope,  common  to  the 
whole  range  of  apartments. 

It  is  true,  we  were  at  the  Springs  after  the  season  was  over; 
and,  therefore,  saw  nothing  in  the  best  style.  But  I must 
describe  things  as  I found  them,  in  spite  of  the  explanations 
and  apologies  which  were  showered  upon  me  whenever  any 
thing,  no  matter  how  small  or  how  great,  was  objected  to.  I 
grant  that  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  make  these  trifles  and 
many  other  and  graver  things,  matters  of  criticism  in  so  young 
a nation,  were  not  claims  put  forth  by  the  inhabitants  to  the 
highest  degrees  of  excellence. 

The  truth  seems  to  be,  that  no  one,  in  that  busy  country, 
has  leisure  to  attend  effectually  to  the  completion  of  any  given 
job.  Instead,  therefore,  of  carrying  their  works  to  their  most 
perfect  stage,  they  always  stop  at  that  point,  when  the  business 
in  hand  has  reached  that  condition  which  is  most  certain  of 
procuring  for  it  a ready  market— that  is,  when  it  has  reached 
the  degree  of  excellence  suited  to  the  average  taste  of  the  con- 
sumers. If  producers  go  beyond  this  mark,  they  are  never 
sure  of  finding  any  sale,  certainly  not  a quick  one: — -and  if 
they  fall  short  of  it,  they  will  inevitably  be  outstripped  by 
their  competitors,  in  the  hurried  markets  of  a country,  where 
nothing  is  allowed  to  remain  long  on  hand. 

Where  the  society  of  a country  is  divided  into  distinct 
classes  of  consumers,  as  in  England,  there  will  always  be 
corresponding  classes  of  producers  likewise;  and  the  compe 
tition  will  not  be  spread  over  the  whole  mass,  but  divided 
in  lots,  as  it  were,  amongst  workmen  of  different  qualities, 
respectively.  The  higher  degree  of  trades-people,  as  a set 
apart  from  the  rest,  will  compete  amongst  one  another  only, 
without  knowing,  or  at  least  without  caring,  what  is  done  by- 
others  in  the  same  line,  who  deal  in  lower-priced  or  inferior 
goods.  With  these  superior  tradesmen  alone  the  wealthier 


23  2 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


description  of  customers  will  ever  dream  of  dealing.  This 
order  of  competition  and  of  purchasers  is  observed  in  the  other 
steps  or  ranks  in  the  scale  of  society  in  England — the  one  set 
always  running  by  the  side  of  the  other,  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest.  But  in  America,  where  there  is  no  classification 
amongst  the  inhabitants,  and  very  little  permanent  distinction 
of  any  kind,  properly  so  called,  even  of  wealth,  the  stream 
of  competition  follows  a totally  different  course.  As  there 
are  no  steady  wealthy  customers,  so  there  are  no  steady  su- 
perior tradesmen;  and  the  grand  object  of  the  competitors 
comes  to  be,  at  all  hazards,  to  lower  the  price,  so  as  to  ensure 
purchasers,  by  the  cheapness  rather  than  the  goodness  of 
their  articles.  I do  not  say,  that  in  America  there  are  no  dif- 
ferences of  wealth.  Such  distinctions  do,  more  or  less,  ex- 
ist; and  there  must,  of  course,  often  occur  individual  purcha-  j 
sers  willing  and  able  to  give  high  prices  for  good  things.  But, 
in  consequence  of  the  structure  of  society,  which  prevents 
the  transmission  of  fortunes  in  a fixed  line  of  descent,  and  its 
gradual  accumulation,  all  the  money  in  that  country  changes 
hands  so  rapidly,  that  there  cannot  possibly  spring  up  a per- 
manent wealthy  class,  or  one  whose  habits  of  regulated  ex- 
pense, and  fastidious  taste,  have  time  to  establish  themselves, 
and  who  come  by  practice  to  consider  refinements  and  luxu- 
ries as  necessaries  of  life,  and  essential  attributes  to  their 
rank  in  the  country.  Therefore,  as  there  is  no  adequate  and 
permanent  demand  for  the  higher  description  of  goods,  there 
can  be  no  steady  supply. 

On  the  11th  of  September,  we  observed  in  the  Piazza  of 
the  Hotel  at  Saratoga,  a piece  of  paper  stuck  up  with  this 
notice, — “ This  house  will  be  closed  for  the  season,  on  Sa- 
turday next,  the  15th  inst.’’  Accordingly,  taking  the  hint, 
we  resolved  to  move  off,  though  we  found  the  quietness  of 
the  Springs — now  entirely  deserted — very  agreeable,  after 
the  turmoil  and  excitement  we  had  recently  been  exposed  ; 
to.  By  making  a slight  round,  we  were  enabled  to  take  : 
Ballston  in  our  way;  but  as  that  very  pretty  watering-place 
was  likewise  deserted,  we  drove  on  to  Albany,  and  after  an 
absence  of  exactly  three  months,  took  up  our  old  quarters 
in  that  capital,  or  rather  seat  of  government; — for  it  is  dif- 
ficult  to  conceive  any  other  town  than  New  York  the  capi- 
tal of  the  state. 

I was  glad  to  find  the  legislature  in  session,  as  I had  a 
great  curiosity  to  see  how  the  public  affairs  were  managed. 
The  object  of  the  present  meeting,  it  is  true,  was  not  to 
transact  the  ordinary  business  of  the  state,  but  to  revise 
the  laws— a favourite  employment  all  over  the  union.  But 


UNITED  STATES, 


233 


I had  ample  means,  during  a fortnight’s  stay  at  Albany,  of 
seeing  how  things  were  conducted,  as  innumerable  inciden- 
tal discussions  arose  out  of  the  matter  in  hand,  to  show  the 
current  modes  of  proceeding. 

Each  of  the  twenty -four  states  of  the  American  Union 
has  a separate  government,  by  which  its  own  affairs  are  re- 
gulated.  By  the  Constitution  established  after  their  sepa- 
ration from  the  mother  country,  a republican  form  of  go- 
vernment is  not  only  made  a condition  of  the  compact,  but 
is  guaranteed  to  the  different  states  by  the  united  voice  of 
the  whole;  each  one,  however,  being  left  entirely  free  to 
modify  its  own  particular  constitution,  and  to  make  and  un- 
make, or  alter  laws,  at  their  good  will  and  pleasure— -in 
short,  to  do  all  that  sovereign  states  may  perform,  provided 
only  they  do  not  interfere  with  certain  matters,  specifically 
appropriated  as  the  duty  of  the  general,  or  federative  go- 
vernment of  the  union. 

I shall  have  frequent  occasion,  in  the  course  of  the  jour- 
ney, to  refer  to  these  distinctions-— at  present  I mean  to  speak 
only  of  New  York,  which  is  the  most  populous,  wealthy, 
and,  in  many  respects,  the  most  important  of  the  whole. 
This  state  had  recently  adopted  a new  constitution,  rernod- 
died  from  that  adopted  in  1777,  and  it  came  into  operation 
on  the  1st  of  January,  1823.  By  this  instrument,  the  legisla- 
tive power  is  vested  in  a Senate,  and  House  of  Assembly; 
the  Senate,  consisting  of  32  members,  who  must  be  free- 
holders, chosen  for  four  years:  and  the  House  of  Assembly, 
consisting  of  128  members,  who  are  elected  annually  by  the 
whole  people  of  the  state,  the  right  of  suffrage  being  universal, 

I was  extremely  curious  to  see  how  a legislature  formed 
on  such  principles  would  proceed,  and  I visited  the  Capitol 
with  the  truest  wish  to  be  well  pleased  with  all  I saw  and 
heard.  The  hall  of  the  House  of  Assembly  was  not  unlike 
the  interior  of  a church;  with  a gallery  for  strangers,  look- 
ing down  upon  a series  of  seats  and  writing-desks,  ranged 
on  the  floor  in  concentric  semicircles;  the  speaker’s  chair 
being  at  the  centre,  and  over  his  head,  of  course,  the  large 
well-known  picture  of  General  Washington,  with  his  hand 
stretched  out,  in  the  same  unvaried  attitude  in  which  we 
had  already  seen  him  represented  in  many  hundreds,  I 
might  say  thousands,  of  places,  from  the  Capitol  at  Albany 
to  the  embellishments  on  the  coarsest  blue  china  plate  in 
the  country.  Each  member  of  the  house  was  placed  in  a 
seat  numbered  and  assigned  to  him  by  lot  on  the  first  day 
of  the  Session. 

Vol.  i. 


21 


234 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


After  prayers  bad' been  said,  and  a certain  portion  of  tbe  3 
ordinary  formal  business  gone  through,  the  regular  proceed- 
ings were  commenced  by  a consideration  of  chapter  IV.  of 
the  Revised  Laws.  It  appeared  that  a joint  committee  of 
the  two  houses  had  been  appointed  to  attend  to  this  subject,  - 
and  to  report  the  result  of  their  deliberations.  The  gentle- 
men nominated  had  no  trifling  task  to  perform,  as  I became 
sensible  upon  a farther  acquaintance  with  the  subject.  All 
the  existing  laws  of  the  statp,  which  were  very  voluminous, 
were  to  be  compared  and  adjusted  so  as  to  be  consistent 
with  one  another;  after  which  the  result  wras  printed  and  1 
laid  before  the  legislature; — so  that  each  chapter,  section, 
and  clause,  might  be  discussed  separately,  when,  of  course, 
the  members  of  the  committee  of  revision  had  to  explain 
their  proceedings. 

Some  of  the  chapters  were  so  completely  matters  of  form,  j 
and  related  to  topics  upon  which  no  particular  interest  wras 
felt,  that  they  passed  without  any  opposition.  Others, 
again,  which  it  was  supposed  would  cause  no  discussion, 
proved  sources  of  long  debate.  On  the  first  day  I attended,  f 
I was  sorry  to  hear  from  an  experienced  friend,  that  in  all  | 
probability  there  would  be  no  discussion,  as  the  chapter, 
No.  IV.,  which  related  to  “ the  rights  of  the  citizens  and 
inhabitants  of  the  state,”  was  one  so  perfectly  familiar  to 
every  native,  that  it  must  pass  without  delay.  When  the 
3d  section,  however,  came  to  be  read  by  the  clerk,  as  fol- 
lows, a subject  was  started  which  led  the  assembled  legisla- 
ture a fine  round.  “A  well-regulated  militia,”  said  this 
clause,  “ being  necessary  to  the  security  of  a free  state,  the 
right  of  the  people  to  keep  and  bear  arms  cannot  be  in- 
fringed.” Upon  this  being  read,  a member  rose,  and  ob- 
jected to  the  article  as  illogical  in  itself;  and  even  granting  it  ! 
were  altered  in  this  respect,  it  was  totally  needless,  as  the  i 
same  clause  was  distinctly  given,  not  only  in  the  constitu-  I 
fion  of  the  United  States,  but  in  that  of  the  state  of  New 
York;  and,  finally,  it  was  quite  out  of  place  in  the  statute  j 
book.  This  appeared  simple  enough;  but  another  member, 
got  up,  and  vehemently  defended  the  revisers  of  the  Laws 
for  having  brought  forward  this  chapter,  and  this  particular 
section;  adding,  that  if  ever  the  Americans  relaxed  in  their 
exertions  and  reiterated  declarations  of  what  were  their 
rights,  their  liberties  would  be  in  danger.  A third  gentle- 
man followed,  and  declared  himself  so  much  of  the  opinion  { 
of  the  first  speaker,  that  he  should  move,  and  accordingly 
did  move,  that  the  whole  chapter  relating  to  the  rights  of 


UNITED  STATES, 


235 


the  citizens,  be  rejected,  as  out  of  place.  This  led  to  a 
warm  discussion  by  four  or  five  members,  none  of  whom, 
spoke  above  a few  minutes,  excepting  one  gentleman,  who 
addressed  the  house,  now  in  u committee  of  the  whole,’’  as 
it  is  called,  no  less  than  five  times,  and  always  in  so  diffuse 
and  inconsequential  a style,  that  I could  with  difficulty 
comprehend  how  he  had  earned  the  reputation  of  a close 
reasoner,  which  I found  him  in  possession  of.  He  not  only 
objected  to  the  article  alluded  to,  but,  without  the  least  pre- 
tence of  adhering  to  the  subject  under  discussion,  or  to  any 
thing  analogous  to  it,  read  over,  one  by  one,  every  article  in 
the  chapter,  accompanying  each  with  a long  commentary  in 
the  most  prosy  and  ill-digested  style  imaginable.  During 
this  excursion  among  the  clouds,  he  returned  frequently  to 
the  History  of  England,  gave  us  an  account  of  the  manner 
in  which  Magna  Charta  was  wrested  from  44  that  monster 
King  John,*’  and  detailed  the  whole  history  of  the  Bill  of 
Rights.  In  process  of  time,  he  brought  his  history  down 
to  the  commencement  of  the  American  Revolution,  then  to 
the  period  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence — the  Arti- 
cles of  Confederation— -and  so  on,  till  my  patience,  if  not 
that  of  the  house;  was  pretty  well  worn  out  by  the  difficul- 
ty of  following  these  threadbare  commonplaces. 

The  next  member  who  spoke  declared  his  ignorance  of 
Latin,  and  his  consequent  inability  to  study  Magna  Charta, 
which,  I presume  was  a good  joke — but  thought  that,  if 
these  occasional  opportunities  were  lost,  of  impressing  upon 
the  minds  of  the  people  a sense  of  their  rights,  their  imme- 
diate descendants,  who  were  not  so  familiar,  of  course,  as 
they  themselves  were,  with  the  history  of  their  country,  to 
say  nothing  of  posterity,  would  gradually  forget  their  own 
privileges;  *'4  and  then,”  said  he,  “ the  Americans  will 
cease  to  be  the  great,  the  happy,  and  the  high-minded  peo  - 
ple they  are  at  the  present  day.’7 

At  length  a man  of  sense,  and  habits  of  business,  got  up, 
and  instantly  commanded  the  closest  attention  of  the  house. 
He  had  been  one  of  the  committees,  he  said,  appointed  to 
revise  the  laws,  and  as  such,  had  voted  for  the  insertion  of 
the  particular  clause,  not  from  any  great  or  immediate  good 
which  it  was  likely  to  produce,  but  simply  because  it  was 
consistent  with  other  parts  of  the  American  Government, 
and  because  it  was  suitable  to  the  present  genius  of  the  peo 
pie,  to  make  these  frequent  references  to  their  rights. 
u Here,”  he  observed,  44  is  a fair  opportunity  to  enumerate 
some  of  these  rights,  and  I trust  the  committee  will  see  the 


236 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


propriety  of  embodying  these  few  but  important  precepts 
in  the  revised  code  of  laws  which  is  to  become  the  standard 
authority  of  the  state.” 

I imagined  this  clear  explanation  would  put  an  end  to  the 
debate ; but  the  same  invincible  speaker  who  had  so  fre- 
quently addressed  them  before,  rose  again,  and  I don't 
know  when  the  discussion  would  have  ended,  had  not  the 
hand  of  the  clock  approached  the  hour  of  two,  the  time 
for  dinner.  A motion  to  rise  and  report  progress  was  then 
cheerfully  agreed  to,  and  the  house  adjourned. 

I do  not  pretend  to  have  done  justice  to  this  debate:  in 
truth  the  arguments  seemed  to  me  so  shallow,  and  were  all 
so  ambitiously,  or  rather  wordily,  expressed,  that  I wras  fre- 
quently at  a loss  for  some  minutes  to  think  what  the  orators 
really  meant,  or  if  they  meant  any  thing.  The  whole  dis- 
cussion, indeed,  struck  me  as  being  rather  juvenile.  The 
matter  was  in  the  highest  degree  common-place,  and  the 
manner  of  treating  it  still  more  so.  The  speeches,  accord- 
ingly, were  full  of  set  phrases,  and  rhetorical  flourishes 
about  their  “ancestors  having  come  out  of  the  contest  full 
of  glory,  and  covered  with  scars — and  their  ears  ringing 
with  the  din  of  battle.”  This  false  taste,  waste  of  time- 
conclusions  in  which  nothing  was  concluded— splitting  of 
straws,  and  ingeniously  elaborate  objections,  all  about  any 
thing  or  nothing  in  the  world,  appeared  to  me  to  arise  from 
the  entire  absence  of  those  habits  of  public  business,  which 
can  be  acquired  only  by  long-continued  and  exclusive 
practice. 

These  gentlemen  were  described  to  me  as  being  chiefly 
farmers,  shopkeepers,  and  country  lawyers,  and  other  per- 
sons quite  unaccustomed  to  abstract  reasoning,  and  there- 
fore apt  to  be  led  away  by  the  sound  of  their  own  voices, 
farther  than  their  heads  could  follow.  It  is  probable  too, 
that  part  of  this  wasteful,  rambling  kind  of  argumentation 
may  be  ascribed  to  the  circumstance  of  most  of  the  speak- 
ers being  men,  who,  from  not  having  made  public  business  a 
regular  profession  or  study,  were  ignorant  of  what  had  been 
done  before— and  had  come  to  the  legislature,  straight  from 
the  plough — or  from  behind  the  counter— from  chopping 
down  trees— or  from  the  bar,  under  the  impression  that  they 
were  at  once  to  be  converted  into  statesmen. 

Such  were  my  opinions  at  this  early  stage  of  the  journey, 
and  I never  afterwards  saw  much  occasion  to  alter  them: 
indeed,  the  more  I became  acquainted  with  the  practical 
operation  of  the  democratical  system,  the  more  I became 


UNITED  STATE 


237 


satisfied  that  the  ends  which  it  proposed  to  accomplish., 
could  not  be  obtained  by  such  means.  By  bringing  into 
these  popular  assemblies  men  who — disguise  it  as  they  may, 
cannot  but  feel  themselves  ignorant  of  public  business,  an 
ascendency  is  given  to  a few  abler  and  more  intriguing 
heads,  which  enables  them  to  manage  matters  to  suit  their 
own  purposes.  And  just  as  the  members  begin  to  get  a 
slight  degree  of  useful  familiarity  with  the  routine  of  af- 
fairs, a fresh  election  comes  on,  and  out  they  all  go;  or  at 
least  a great  majority  go  out,  and  thus*,  in  each  fresh  legis- 
lature, there  must  be  found  a preponderance  of  unqualified, 
or,  at  all  events,  of  ill-informed  men,  however  patriotic  or 
well  intentioned  they  may  chance  to  be. 

On  the  same  distrustful  principle,  all  men  in  office  are 
jealously  kept  out  of  congress,  and  the  state  legislature; 
which  seems  altogether  the  most  ingenious  device  ever  hit 
upon  for  excluding  from  the  national  councils,  all  those  per- 
sons best  fitted  by  their  education,  habits  of  business,  know- 
ledge, and  advantageous  situation  of  whatever  sort,  for  per- 
forming, efficiently,  the  duties  of  statesmen:  while,  by  the 
same  device,  the  very  best,  because  the  most  immediate  and 
the  most  responsible  sources  of  information  are  removed  to 
a distance;  and  the  men  who  possess  the  knowledge  re- 
quired for  the  purposes  of  deliberation,  are  placed  out  of 
sight,  and  on  their  guard,  instead  of  being  always  at  hand, 
and  liable  to  sudden  scrutiny,  face  to  face,  with  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  nation. 

These  ideas  arose  in  my  mind— I may  say,  were  forced 
on  my  mind — -upon  seeing  the  workings  of  the  legislature  of 
New  York ; but  I still  trusted  I might  be  wrong  in  my  first 
views,  and  looked  forward  with  increased  interest  to  the 
time  when  I should  be  able  to  examine  the  whole  question 
on  a wider  scale,  and  with  greater  means  of  information,  at 
the  fountain-head— Washington. 

In  the  meantime,  I was  much  struck  with  one  peculia- 
rity in  those  debates— the  absence  of  all  cheering,  cough- 
ing, or  other  methods  by  which,  in  England,  public  bodies 
take  the  liberty  of  communicating  to  the  person  who  is 
speaking  a full  knowledge  of  the  impression  made  upon  the 
audience.  In  America  there  is  nothing  to  supply  the  end- 
less variety  of  tones  in  which  the  word  Hear!  Hear!  is  ut- 
tered in  the  House  of  Commons,  by  which  the  member  who 
is  speaking  ascertains,  with  the  utmost  distinctness  and 
precision,  whether  the  House  are  pleased  or  displeased  with 
mm,  bored  or  delighted,  or  whether  what  he  says  is  granted 

21*  ' 


238 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


or  denied— lessons  eminently  useful  in  the  conduct  of  pub* 
lie  debate. 

In  America,  in  every  legislative  assembly,  the  speaker? 
are  listened  to  with  the  most  perfect  silence  and  forbear 
ance.  This  practice,  while  it  must  be  particularly  discou- 
raging to  good  speakers,  cannot  fail  to  protract  the  weari- 
some prosings  of  the  dullest  and  longest-winded  orators,  to 
the  great  loss  of  good  time,  and  the  mystification  of  busi- 
ness. It  was  not  till  long  after  the  period  I am  now  de- 
scribing, however,  that  I came  to  any  satisfactory  explana- 
tion of  this  curious  anomaly,  which  at  first  sight  appeared 
inconsistent  with  the  general  state  of  things  out  of  doors. 

But  I found  I was  quite  mistaken,  in  supposing  this  deco- 
rous silence  could  be  safely  dispensed  with;  and  eventual- 
ly became  satisfied,  not  only  of  the  policy,  but  of  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  the  rule,  so  long  as  the  deliberate  bodies 
in  question  are  framed  on  the  principles  of  universal  suf- 
frage, and  annual  changes. 

During  the  debate, — if  the  desultory  discussion  which 
has  led  me  into  this  digression  can  be  so  called, — and  while 
I was  standing  near  the  door,  the  member  who  had  spoken 
so  often  came  up  to  me,  and  said,  with  a chuckling  air  of 
confident  superiority,  but  in  perfect  good  humour,— 

“ Well,  sir,  what  do  you  think  of  us?  Don’t  we  tread 
very  close  on  the  heels  of  the  mother  country?’* 

I evaded  the  question  as  well  as  I might,  by  saying,  that 
I did  not  think  there  was  any  race  between  us,  or  any  dan- 
ger of  treading  on  one  another’s  heels — that  the  countries 
were  so  differently  circumstanced,  it  was  hardly  discreet  to  I 
make  comparisons. 

1 saw,  however,  by  the  little  smile  playing  about  his  lips, 
that  while  he  was  of  the  same  opinion  as  to  the  indiscretion 
of  drawing  such  parallels,  there  might  be  a small  difference  I 
between  us  as  to  the  side  which  had  the  advantage  in  the 
comparison.  But  out  of  his  great  generosity,  I suppose,  or 
what  he  probably  thought  a proper  exertion  of  national  can- 
dour, and  absence  of  prejudice,  he  cried  out, — u Oh,  yes!-— 
there  is  no  comparison— different  circumstances — surely — 

You  are  right,  there  can  be  none.  And  as  for  the  rest,  are 
we  not  both  trading  nations?  both  agricultural  nations?  both  ] 
naval  nations?” 

I bowed  to  the  complimentary  companionship  implied  in 
these  questions,  and  was  thinking  of  a proper  reply,  when' 
the  crush  of  members  near  the  door,  on  the  adjournment, 
broke  up  our  colloquy.  Amongst  the  crowd  I was  jostled 


UNITED  STATES. 


239' 


against  the  friend  under  whose  wing  I had  gone  to  the  meet- 
ing, who  said  to  me,  in  a very  audible  whisper,  but  with  a 
look  of  sufficient  intelligence,  “ Well,  Captain,  you  have 
now  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  how  the  Sovereigns  le- 
gislate!” 

In  t|ie  evening  we  went  to  a party;  and,  on  entering  the 
drawing-room,  it  seemed  as  if  the  gentlemen  had  all  come 
first,  and  that  the  ladies  were  to  follow,  for  no  one  was  to 
be  seen  but  male  guests.  The  master  of  the  house,  seeing 
us  hesitate,  gave  his  arm  to  Mrs.  Hall,  and  proceeded  to 
the  inner  drawing-room,  where  the  ladies  were  seated  round 
the  apartment,  in  a fashion  not  very  unlike  that  of  the 
southern  continent  of  America.  I thought,  of  course,  that 
this  degree  of  formality  was  accidental,  and  that  by  and  by 
the  formidable  line  would  be  broken,  according  to  the  most 
approved  tactics  in  such  cases  appointed.  But  a more  ex- 
tensive acquaintance  with  the  fashions  of  the  country  taught 
me,  that  such  was  the  general,  though,  as  I think,  not  very 
sociable,  custom;  and  however  much  it  may  be  suited  to 
(he  tastes  and  habits  of  the  people  themselves  it  is  certain- 
ly not  so  to  those  of  Europeans. 

I hope  it  will  be  recollected,  that  it  is  my  business  to  de- 
scribe things  as  they  actually  appeared  to  me,  not  as  they 
may  appear  to  the  natives-— for  whose  information,  of  course, 
I do  not  write — but  almost  exclusively  for  that  of  my  own 
countrymen. 

We  were  then  introduced  with  much  kindness  to  many 
persons,  most  of  whom,  the  instant  we  were  presented,  be- 
gan to  exact  our  admiration  of  their  country,  their  people, 
their  institutions,  all  the  while  praising  every  thing  so  highly 
themselves,  that  there  was  hardly  room  left  for  us  to  slip  in 
a word  edgewise.  The  praise  of  one’s  own  country,  its  man- 
ners and  customs,  in  conversation  with  a foreigner,  comes 
so  near  to  praising  one’s  self,  that  the  person  to  whom  it  is 
addressed  feels  a sort  of  awkwardness  either  in  joining,  or 
in  declining  to  join,  in  such  commendations. 

Persons  of  sense  and  information  were,  of  course,  above 
descending  to  such  arts  to  extort  praise,  and  many  Ameri- 
cans whom  I met  with  at  Albany,  and  elsewhere,  were  fully 
of  my  opinion  as  to  the  impolicy  of  making  such  demands 
upon  the  admiration  of  their  guests — but  I speak  of  the 
general,  average  mass  of  society  in  America,  the  current  of 
whose  thoughts,  whether  flowing  at  the  surface  or  beneath 
it,  appears  always  to  set  in  one  direction,  and  prompts  such 
expressions  as  the  following:— 


240 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


Ci  Don’t  you  think  this  is  a wonderful  country?  Don’t 
you  allow  that  we  deserve  great  credit  for  what  we  are 
doing?  Do  not  we  resemble  the  old  country  much  more 
than  you  expected?  Had  you  any  idea  of  finding  us  so  far 
advanced?  Are  not  the  western  parts  of  our  state  improv- 
ing very  rapidly?  Is  not  our  canal  the  finest  work  in  the 
world?  Don’t  you  admit  that  we  are  becoming  a great  na- 
tion? What  do  you  think  of  us,  upon  the  whole?” 

It  was  really  not  easy,  “ upon  the  whole,”  to  derise  civil  : 
answers  to  these  and  a hundred  other  similar  questions— 
and  yet  to  keep  decently  within  the  truth.  It  often  grieved 
me  very  much  when  driven  into  a corner  and  obliged  to  say 
something  which  fell  short  of  their  expectations; — for  no- 
thing could  be  more  kind,  or  hospitable,  or  more  obliging 
in  all  respects,  than  the  Americans  were  to  us,  from  end  to 
end  of  the  country.  One  of  the  chief  sources  of  pain, 
therefore,  arising  out  of  these  direct,  but  often  unanswera- 
ble interrogations,  was  the  necessity  of  appearing  to  make 
inadequate  returns  for  so  much  friendly  attention.  I have 
frequently  entered  a room  feeling  every  way  grateful  for 
kindnesses  shown  to  my  family  and  to  myself;  and,  from 
being  in  perfect  good-humour  with  what  I had  seen  during 
the  day  was,  not  only  willing  but  anxious  to  commend  every 
thing  in  moderation,  or  with  certain  obvious,  but  not  strained 
or  uncivil  qualifications.  But,  before  I had  been  half  an 
hour  in  company,  I had  the  mortifying  conviction  forced 
upon  me,  that  so  far  from  giving  satisfaction,  I was  grie- 
vously disappointing  the  very  persons  it  was  essentially  my 
wish,  as  it  certainly  was  my  duty,  to  please;  but  who  would 
not  receive  at  my  hands  any  thing  in  the  way  of  commen-  j 
dation  short  of  such  raptures  as  I really  could  not  bring  my- 
self to  express. 

It  is  generally  taken  for  granted,  that  while  travellers  in 
other  foreign  countries  are  apt  to  misconstrue  much  that  , 
they  hear,  and  often,  also,  to  express ,what  they  do  not  mean 
to  say,  merely  from  their  ignorance  of  the  language,  these 
embarrassments,  in  the  case  of  an  Englishman,  will  be  en-  ; 
tirely  overcome  in  America,  in  consequence  of  English  being 
spoken  by  both  parties.  But  I have  little  doubt,  after  the 
experience  of  this  journey,  that  no  inconsiderable  portion  of 
the  mutual  misunderstandings  between  the  Americans  and  , 
their  guests,  arises  from  an  imperfect  acquaintance  with  this  j 
very  English  language,  supposed  to  be  common  to  both. 

It  must  be  recollected,  that  the  meaning  of  words  does 
not  depend  upon  their  etymology,  or  upon  the  definitions  of 


UNITED  STATES. 


241 


Johnson,  or  any  other  lexicographer,  but  entirely  upon  the 
usage  of  the  society  in  which  they  are  current  We  see 
this  strongly  marked  even  in  England  itself,  where  many 
expressions  are  used  by  one  rank  of  persons,  with  perfect 
propriety,  which,  if  whispered  in  another,  would  either  be 
considered  the  grossest  ill-breeding,  or  would  be  entirely 
misconceived,  from  carrying  with  them  a sense  totally  dis~ 
similar.  Now,  what  holds  good  with  regard  to  the  different 
classes  of  society  in  one  and  the  same  country,  may  fairly 
be  supposed  still  more  striking  in  the  case  of  different 
countries. 

In  America,  it  so  happens-— I don’t  at  present  inquire 
wherefore— that  the  English  language  is  somewhat  modified. 
I speak  not  alone  of  the  meaning  of  individual  words,  in 
many  of  which  also  the  change  is  abundantly  perceptible, 
but  chiefly  of  the  general  acceptation  of  language,  as  con- 
nected with  a set  of  feelings,  and  a state  of  circumstances, 
materially  different  from  those  which  exist  in  England.  It 
would  certainly  be  astonishing,  if  some  difference  were  not 
to  be  produced  in  these  two  nations,  both  in  the  ideas,  and 
in  those  forms  of  speech  by  which  they  receive  expression, 
in  consequence  of  the  continued  presence  and  operation  of 
physical,  moral,  and  political  phenomena  so  essentially  dis- 
similar, and  in  spite  of  the  common  origin,  and  the  common 
language  of  the  two  countries. 

That  part  of  the  population  in  America  who  are  acquain- 
ted  with  their  own  country,  but  who  know  little  of  any 
other,  and  who,  of  course,  form  an  immense  majority  of  the 
whole,  naturally  give  the  tone  to  thought,  as  well  as  to  lan- 
guage,— that  is  to  say,  their  authority,  as  to  the  value  of  all 
current  expressions,  will  predominate.  And  it  must  inevi- 
tably happen,  that  if  these  persons,  forming  the  great  mass, 
have  acquired  the  habit,  whether  wisely  or  not,  of  seeing 
every  thing  in  a favourable  light  which  respects  America, 
and  of  depreciating  every  thing  English;  and  if  at  the  same 
time  they  have  fallen  into  the  uncontrolled  practice  of  using, 
amongst  themselves,  a correspondent  warmth  of  language 
to  express  these  thoughts  and  feelings,  they  may  well  be  sup- 
posed to  acquire  habits  of  self-admiration,  and  of  self-praise, 
beyond  what  they  themselves  are  aware  of.  Their  feelings 
and  their  language,  therefore,  may  be  strictly  in  keeping 
with  each  other,  according  to  the  current  American  accep- 
tation of  the  words  used,  and  they  may  often  be  speaking 
with  perfect  sincerity,  with  no  want  of  a mutual  and  per- 


242 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


feet  understanding  amongst  themselves,  when  to  a stranger 
the  very  reverse  of  all  this  may  appear. 

If  it  be  the  custom  in  England  to  apply  different  words, 
or  a different  form  of  words,  from  those  used  in  America, 
to  describe  similar  feelings  and  circumstances,  an  English 
traveller  in  that  country,  bringing  with  him  his  English 
ideas  as  to  the  acceptation  of  words,  and  the  judgment  of 
things,  will  naturally  be  struck  with  what  he  supposes  a 
want  of  agreement  between  the  facts  he  witnesses,  and  the 
verbal  expression  in  which  they  are  represented  to  him  by 
the  inhabitants  of  America. 

Now,  if  this  theory  be  true,  both  parties  will  often  be  as 
much  dissatisfied,  or  perhaps  more  dissatisfied,  and  wider 
of  the  intended  mark,  than  if  their  respective  languages — 
as  happens  between  our  neighbours  the  French  and  us — 
were  entirely  different,  not  merely  in  their  local  usage  or 
occasional  idiom,  but  in  their  whole  structure.  According 
to  this  view,  an  American,  accustomed  to  use  a certain  form 
of  expression  to  explain  an  ordinary  sentiment,  will  be  dis- 
appointed to  find  that  he  does  not  carry  the  stranger  along 
with  him — whereas  it  is  very  possible  that  he  and  his  guest 
may  all  the  while  be  thinking  pretty  much  alike ; but  still 
the  native  may  fail  to  make  himself  understood,  from  using 
terms  which  the  stranger  has  been  taught  to  appropriate  to 
things  of  a different  character.  And  in  the  same  way,  the 
stranger  may  describe  what  he  feels  in  terms  which,  if  un- 
derstood in  the  sense  he  means  them,  would  give  his  audi- 
ence  pleasure,  instead  of  offence. 

I do  not  say  that  all  the  misunderstandings,  as  they  are 
well-called,  which  separate  the  Americans  from  us,  arise 
from  this  source,  but  I know  by  painful  experience,  that 
many  of  them  do;  and  I seriously  believe,  that  things  would 
now  be  better,  in  this  respect  at  least,  between  the  coun- 
tries, if,  when  the  Americans  adopted  a form  of  government 
so  radically  different  from  ours,  they  could  likewise  have 
reformed  the  dialect  as  thoroughly.  It  is  curious  enough, 
by  the  way,  to  see  the  discomfort  that  some  scrupulous 
Americans  show  to  the  mere  name  of  our  common  tongue;  I 
have  actually  heard  a grave  proposal  made  to  relinquish  the 
practice  of  calling  it  the  English  language ! 

I remember  reading  in  some  old  author,  that  when  the 
Jesuits  went  to  China,  they  found  the  religious  ceremonies 
so  like  those  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  that  in  their 
labours  of  conversion,  they  were  more  perplexed  than  as- 


UNITED  STATES. 


243 


sisted  by  this  remarkable  similarity,  being  often  sorely  bo- 
thered how  to  make  the  difference  between  the  religions  suf- 
ficiently manifest  in  the  outward  manners.  They  declared, 
accordingly,  in  writing  to  their  countrymen  at  home,  44  that 
in  all  their  travels  amongst  the  heathen,  they  had  never  be- 
fore  found  the  arch  enemy  concealed  under  so  insidious  a 
garb,  and  that  it  was  far  easier  to  convert  a Gentoo  to  Chris- 
tianity-—though  he  worshipped  a stick  or  a stone,  and  would 
rather  kill  one  of  his  parents  than  leap  over  a cow— than  it 
was  to  bring  about  a Chinese  who  cared  neither  for  God  nor 
devil.” 

I don’t  go  quite  so  far.  But  I will  say  this,  that  in  all 
my  travels,  both  amongst  heathens  and  amongst  Christians, 
I have  never  encountered  any  people  by  whom  I found  it 
nearly  so  difficult  to  make  myself  understood  as  by  the 
Americans. 

So  much  for  language.  But  I may  take  this  occasion, 
though  rather  premature,  to  add,  that  I consider  America 
and  England  as  differing  more  from  one  another  in  many  es- 
sential respects,  than  any  two  European  nations  I have  ever 
visited.  This  may  look  a little  paradoxical  at  first,  but  is 
perhaps  easily  shown  to  be  true.  The  accidental  eircunv 
stance  of  their  literature  being  supplied  chiefly  from  us, 
serves  to  keep  up  an  appearance  of  similarity,  which,  I am 
Fully  persuaded,  would  soon  disappear  under  the  influence 
of  causes  kept  in  check  by  this  circumstance  alone. 

The  fact  of  the  greater  part  of  all  the  works  which  are 
read  in  one  country,  being  written  for  a totally  different 
state  of  society  in  another,  forms  a very  singular  anomaly  in 
the  history  of  nations — and  I am  disposed  to  think  that  the 
Americans  would  be  a happier  people  if  this  incongruous 
communication  were  at  an  end.  If  they  got  no  more  books 
or  newspapers  from  us,  than  we  do  from  France  or  Spain, 
they  would,  I really  believe,  be  much  happier,  as  far  as  their 
intercourse  with  this  country  has  any  influence  over  them. 

Surely  this  reasoning  holds  true  in  the  case  of  England? 
Are  we  not  happier  in  this  country,  in  all  that  concerns  our 
relations  with  America,  where  the  great  mass  of  the  people 
never  read  an  American  volume,  and  never  even  see  or  hear 
of  one?  Do  we  worry  and  fret  ourselves  about  what  is 
said  of  us  in  America?  Certainly  not!  Yet  this  does  not 
arise  from  indifference,  but  from  ignorance.  If  American 
newspapers,  books,  pamphlets,  and  reviews,  were  by  any 
strange  revolution  in  letters,  to  be  circulated  and  read  in 
this  country,  I will  answer  for  the  sensation  they  would 


244 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


produce,  being  one  of  extreme  irritation — perhaps  not  less  ^ 
than  what  is  excited  in  America  by  our  publications.  While,  | 
after  all,  at  bottom,  the  countries  respectively  may  be  wri- 
ting not  for  each  other  at  all,  but  for  themselves  exclusive- 
ly, and  thus,  as  I have  explained,  virtually  using  two  diffe-  | 
rent  languages. 

If,  therefore,  the  Americans  choose  to  import  from  us,  by 
every  packet,  what  is  disagreeable  to  them — but  which  was 
really  never  meant  for  their  perusal,  they  ought  not  to  blame 
us  for  keeping  in  that  state  of  blissful  ignorance  of  their 
daily  opinions  and  feelings  with  respect  to  us,  which — as  I 
well  know!— it  would  be  a very  foolish  sort  of  wisdom  on 
our  part  to  destroy,  by  extending  our  acquaintance  with 
their  literature  and  history  beyond  its  present  confined 
limits. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

On  the  15th  of  September,  1827*,  when  we  went  again  to 
the  House  of  Assembly,  the  speaking  was  even  more  dis- 
cursive than  it  had  been  upon  the  first  day.  The  orators 
rambled  about  from  topic  to  topic  with  a most  wasteful  con- 
tempt of  time,  of  which  I dare  say  the  same  persons  would 
have  been  much  more  economical  had  they  been  at  their  or- 
dinary occupations — that  is  to  say,  working  with  their  hands, 
not  with  their  heads. 

From  thence  we  went  to  the  senate  chamber,  where  we 
found  the  members  acting  not  in  a legislative,  but  a judicial 
capacity.  The  senate  consists  of  32  members,  besides  the 
lieutenant-governor  of  the  state,  who  is,  ex  officio,  presi- 
dent. The  senators  are  chosen  for  four  years,  and  one 
quarter  of  their  numbers  go  out  annually. 

By  an  article  of  the  state  constitution,  the  court  for  the 
trial  of  impeachments  and  the  correction  of  errors,  is  di- 
rected to  consist  of  “ the  president  of  the  senate,  the  sena- 
tors, the  chancellor  of  the  state,  and  the  justices  of  the  su- 
preme court,  or  the  major  part  of  them.”  Causes  are 
brought  up  to  this  court  by  writ  of  error  from  the  supreme 
court  of  the  state,  in  the  same  way,  as  far  as  I understand 
the  matter,  as  appeals  are  carried  to  the  house  of  lords  in 
England. 


UNITED  STATES. 


245 


We  were  fortunate  in  bearing  a case  of  considerable  in- 
terest pleaded  before  the  Court  of  Errors.  It  related  to  a 
matter  of  alleged  conspiracy  arising  out  of  one  of  those 
fraudulent  bubbles  with  which  America  was  quite  as  rife  as 
England  in  the  wild  season  of  1825. 

But  I took  a still  deeper  interest  in  the  regular  business 
which  was  done  in  the  Senate  in  the  early  part  of  the  morn- 
ing, before  resolving  itself,  with  the  additions  before  men- 
tioned, into  a Court  of  Errors.  The  revision  of  the  laws 
was  the  subject  under  discussion,  and  I had  ample  means 
of  judging  of  that  passion  for  legislating,  which  I had  been 
told  frequently  before  was  only  second  in  the  breast  of  an 
American  to  the  passion  of  electioneering.  As  yet,  how- 
ever, I had  seen  nothing  of  the  actual  management  of  the 
elections,  though  at  every  table,  and,  indeed,  in  every  place 
I had  yet  visited,  this  engrossing  topic  formed  the  principal, 
and  generally  the  only,  subject  of  conversation. 

I was  not  very  well  repaid,  however,  by  attending  these 
discussions  in  the  Senate,  which,  like  those  in  the  House  of 
Assembly,  were,  in  every  case,  spun  out  to  a most  uncon- 
scionable length  of  wordiness  and  common-places.  Every 
motion  that  was  made  was  sure  to  be  overloaded  with 
amendments,  upon  amendments,  so  as  to  perplex  their  ob- 
jects entirely,  at  least  in  the  apprehension  of  the  uninitiated. 
The  science  of  law  making  seemed  to  them  to  require  noth- 
ing in  the  shape  of  previous  education;  and  though  I ob- 
served that,  in  the  end,  matters  were  generally  got  through 
in  the  way  pointed  out  by  the  men  who  really  understood  the 
business,  it  was  not  always  so;  and  I could  detect  the  mor- 
tification of  these  gentlemen  very  distinctly  when  the  House 
was  running  adrift,  and  member  after  member  was  prosing 
away  upon  stale  views  of  the  subject,  and  useless  gossip- 
ings  in  the  shape  of  business,  interlarded  with  long  rig- 
marole arguments  upon  matters  which,  in  most  other  quar- 
ters of  the  globe,  have  been  long  ago  settled  and  put  on  the 
shelf,  as  questions  no  longer  to  be  mooted. 

The  sensible  and  well-informed  men  in  America,  if  I am 
not  very  much  mistaken,  see  ail  this,  and  feel  its  entangle- 
ment quite  as  much,  and  probably  more  than  a stranger  can 
do;  while  they  have  the  additional  annoyance  of  knowing 
that  there  is  no  remedy  for  it,  as  long  as  the  principle  of 
these  legislative  bodies  brings  annually  to  the  councils  a 
great  number  of  men  who  must  of  necessity  be  ignorant  of 
the  intricate  subjects  to  be  handled. 

During  our  stay  at  Albany  we  lived  in  a boarding  house, 
occupied  chiefly  by  members  of  the  Legislature,  both  of  the 

Yol.  i.  22 


24  6 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


Senate  and  House  of  Assembly,  besides  several  lawyers, 
judges,  officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  and  amongst  others, 
the  Editor  of  a newspaper,  one  of  the  kindest,  most  candid, 
and  most  useful  friends  I had  the  pleasure  to  make  in 
America.  But  indeed  they  were  all  friendly  and  obliging 
to  us.  It  happened  also,  fortunately,  that  several  of  these 
gentlemen  took  considerable  charge  of  the  public  business 
which  was  then  going  on,  and  were  the  best  informed  men 
we  could  have  met  with  any  where  in  the  States  so  that  we 
enjoyed  the  advantage  of  their  conversation  under  circum- 
stances highly  advantageous.  At  meals  we  all  met,  of 
course ; and  as  there  was  not  quite  so  great  a hurry  here  as 
we  had  observed  elsewhere,  we  had  more  leisure  for  dis- 
cussing the  various  topics  which  arose  from  time  to  time, 
than  we  had  ever  found  before.  Good  opportunities  were 
thus  afforded  of  obtaining  the  opinion  of  different  persons 
on  the  same  point,  and  of  conversing  repeatedly  with  the 
same  gentlemen  on  different  aspects  of  the  subject,  as  cir- 
cumstances varied  the  complexion  of  affairs,  or  suggested 
new  ideas  to  us  respecting  them.  In  this  way  I often  dis- 
covered that  the  views  1 had  taken  up  at  first  were  incor- 
rect, or,  at  all  events,  different  from  those  with  which  some 
of  my  various  informants  wished  to  impress  me.  When 
quite  puzzled,  therefore,  by  what  one  person  told  me,  I 
had  straightway  recourse  to  another,  and  another,  till  I got 
some  daylight  to  bear  upon  the  obscure  point.  Besides 
these  advantages,  I found  it  very  useful,  as  well  as  agreea- 
ble, to  converse  with  these  kind  persons  in  different  moods, 
and  at  different  seasons, — an  advantage  which  can  be  fully 
enjoyed  only  by  people  who  live  under  the  same  roof;  as 
every  body,  I presume,  knows  how  different  a man  is  when 
hungry,  from  what  he  is  when  satisfied;  or  when  he  has  had 
things  his  own  way,  from  what  he  is  when  crossed. 

As  I had  nothing  whatever  to  occupy  my  attention,  but  to 
study  the  humours,  and  to  get  acquainted  with  these  obliging 
people,  in  order  to  get  as  much  information  from  them  as 
possible,  my  object  was  to  avail  nryself  of  all  these  mo- 
ments; and  though,  I fear,  I must  very  often  have  bored 
them,  1 will  do  them  the  justice  to  sa);,  that  on  every  oc- 
casion, favourable  or  otherwise,  they  were  most  willing  to 
lend  their  assistance,  either  to  go  into  the  subject  deeply, 
or  to  touch  it  lightly,  as  the  case  might  be.  My  sole  pur- 
pose was  to  get  at  the  real  state  of  the  facts  before  me;  and 
though,  of  course,  like  every  other  traveller,  I had  my  full 
share  of  prejudices  to  entangle  me,  I was  willing  at  all  times 
to  change  my  opinions,  and  did  in  fact  often  change  them. 


UNITED  STATES. 


247 


I may  remark,  by  the  way,  that  a person  who  moves  about 
the  world,  though  he  may  not,  in  fact,  be  more  prejudiced 
than  his  neighbours  who  stick  fast  in  one  spot,  or  than  the 
people  whom  he  encounters  on  his  journey,  is  much  more 
liable  to  have  his  supposed  errors  brought  to  light  than  if 
he  had  never  stirred  from  home.  He  has  a sort  of  gauntlet, 
indeed,  to  run,  between  rowrs  of  people  fixed  in  position 
and  in  opinions,  who,  from  knowing  little  of  what  is  doing 
elsewhere,  feel  at  liberty  to  give  the  poor  traveller  a cut  as 
he  passes  along,  whenever  he  does  not  consent  to  think  as 
they  bid  him. 

It  is  altogether  impossible  to  write  down  at  the  time  the 
details  of  such  varied  intercourse;  and  if  this  could  be  done, 
the  particulars  would  neither  be  useful,  nor  could  they  with, 
propriety  be  published.  In  many  cases,  there  would  neces- 
sarily be  some  breach  of  confidence!  for,  let  men  be  ever  so 
circumspect  in  their  conversation,  they  will  often,  in  the 
heat  of  discussion,  or  in  the  cheerfulness  of  a tete-a-tete 
conversation,  let  slip  remarks,  to  betray  which  would  be  a 
grievous  offence  against  such  kindly  intercourse  as  l was 
permitted  to  enjoy.  Besides  which,  a stranger,  in  spite  of 
himself,  is  always  apt  to  colour  his  notes  according  to  his 
own  fancy  at  the  time,  and  he  may  often  mis-state  what  he 
has  heard,  without  being  conscious  of  misrepresentation. 
Thus  I find,  in  looking  over  my  Journal,  that  one  day’s 
memorandum  is  often  flatly  contradicted  by  that  which, 
follows;  and  I frequently  discover,  that  opinions  are  changed 
so  gradually,  that  £ cannot  ascertain  the  time,  or  the  exact 
circumstances,  which  induced  the  alteration.  I can  per- 
ceive only  that  at  two  epochs  there  have  been  different 
views  taken  of  the  same  subject,  and  consequently  learn 
that  there  must  have  been  somewhere  a medium  point,  when 
the  mind  was  free  to  take  its  bias  either  way,  as  the  impulse 
might  happen  to  be  directed. 

It  would  undoubtedly  be  satisfactory  to  the  readers,  as 
well  as  to  the  writers  of  travels,  if  there  could  be  some 
method  devised  of  making  straight  so  rugged  and  uncertain 
a path  as  journalizing;  and  that  such  good  reasons  for  every 
opinion  should  be  furnished,  that  no  doubt  could  remain  on 
the  mind.  But  I fear  that  no  observer  will  be  found  with, 
a mind  so  constituted  as  to  take  in  all  the  facts  strictly 
necessary  to  a right  judgment  of  any  foreign  country,  and 
who  at  the  same  time  shall  have  skill  enough  to  satisfy  all 
the  parties  interested  in  his  statements,  that  he  had  done 
their  favourite  views  justice.  While  some  readers  would 
think  his  accounts  too  diffuse,  others  would  declare  they 


248 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


were  too  much  condensed;  and,  in  spite  of  all  he  could  ad- 
vance, many  persons  would  go  on  drawing  inferences  totally 
different  from  those  he  wished  should  follow  a perusal  of 
his  w ritings.  It  is  fair,  indeed,  that  readers  should  act  thus; 
and  the  writer  ought  to  consider  it  quite  enough  if  his  state- 
ments of  fact,  and  his  own  views  of  them,  be  understood. 
Whether  or  not  they  are  adopted  by  others,  is  quite  a dif- 
ferent matter,  and  should  be  no  concern  of  his. 

This  being  the  state  of  the  case,  it  strikes  me  that  travel- 
lers should  endeavour  not  so  much  to  give  minute  details, 
or  entire  conversations,  or  even  general  views  of  their  sub- 
ject, in  the  way  of  set,  rule-and-compass  description,  but 
rather  to  explain,  honestly,  from  time  to  time,  and  as  occa- 
sion serves,  the  result  produced  on  their  own  minds  by  the 
sum-total  of  their  investigations. 

For  my  part,  I am  conscious  that  I shall  be  found  to  ad- 
vance many  opinions  respecting  America,  for  which  there  can- 
not appear  adequate  authority;  nevertheless,  in  every  in- 
stance, the  sentiments  expressed  were  actually  excited  in 
my  mind,  by  incidents  which  did  occur,  at  some  period  or 
other  of  my  residence  in  that  country.  Whether  or  not 
iliese  views  furnish  to  others  true  pictures  of  the  state  of 
things  in  that  country,  I connot  pretend  to  say.  But  this  I 
do  not  hestate  to  affirm,  that  the  sketches  here  given  are  as 
faithful  representations  as  I am  able  to  draw  of  the  impres- 
sions left  upon  my  own  mind,  by  the  whole  series  of  inci- 
dents, and  observations,  which  occurred  during  the  Journey, 
or  by  the  reflections  which  a more  attentive  consideration 
has  suggested  since  it  was  finished. 

During  our  stay  at  Albany,  we  went  frequently  into  com- 
pany, especially  to  dinners  and  evening  parties,  both  large 
and  small,  which  afforded  us  the  most  agreeable  opportuni- 
ties of  seeing  and  judging  of  the  state  of  domestic  society, 
one  feature  of  which  ought  to  be  mentioned,  as  it  meets  a 
stranger’s  observation  in  every  quarter  of  that  wide  country. 

I mean  the  spirit  of  party— not  to  call  it  politics — or 
rather,  to  define  it  more  correctly,  the  spirit  of  electioneer  - 
ing, which  seems  to  enter  as  an  essential  ingredient  into  the 
composition  of  vvery  thing.  ^ 

The  most  striking  peculiarity  of  this  spirit,  in  contradis-  j 
iinction  to  what  we  see  in  England,  is  that  its  eftorts  are  di- 
rected more  exclusively  to  the  means,  than  to  any  useful 
end.  The  Americans,  as  it  appears  to  me,  are  infinitely 
more  occupied  about  bringing  in  a given  candidate,  than 
they  are  about  the  advancement  of  those  measures  of  which 
he  is  conceived  to  be  the  supporter.  They  do  occasionally  j 


UNITED  STATES. 


249 


advert  to  these  prospective  measures,  in  their  canvassing  ar* 
guments  in  defence  of  their  own  friends,  or  in  attacks  upon 
the  other  party;  but  always,  as  far  as  I could  see,  more  as 
rhetorical  flourishes,  or  as  motives  to  excite  the  furious  ac- 
rimony of  party  spirit,  than  as  distinct  or  sound  anticipa- 
tions  of  the  line  of  policy  which  their  candidate,  or  his  an- 
tagonist, was  likely  to  follow.  The  intrigues,  the  canvass- 
ings for  votes,  all  the  machinery  of  newspaper  abuse  and 
praise,  the  speeches  and  manoeuvres  in  the  Legislature,  at 
the  bar,  by  the  fireside,  and  in  every  hole  and  corner  of  the 
country  from  end  to  end,  without  intermission,  form  inte- 
gral parts  of  the  business— apparently  far  more  important 
than  the  candidate’s  wishes— his  promises— or  even  than  his 
character  and  fitness  for  the  office. 

All  these  things,  generally  speaking,  it  would  seem,  are 
subordinate  considerations;  so  completely  are  men’s  minds 
swallowed  up  in  the  technical  details  of  the  election.  They 
j discuss  the  chances  of  this  or  that  State,  town,  or  parish,  or 
district,  going  with  or  against  their  friend.  They  over- 
whelm one  another  with  that  most  disagreeable  of  all  forms 
of  argument— authorities.  They  analyze  every  sentence 
uttered  by  any  man,  dead  or  alive,  who  possesses,  or  ever 
did  possess,  influence;  not,  it  must  be  observed,  to  come  at 
any  better  knowledge  of  the  candidate’s  pretensions  as  a 
public  man,  but  merely  to  discover  how  far  the  weight  of 
such  testimony  is  likely  to  be  thrown  into  their  own  scale, 
or  that  of  the  opposite  party. 

The  election  of  the  President,  being  one  affecting  the 
whole  country,  the  respective  candidates  for  that  office  were 
made  the  butts  at  which  all  political  shafts  were  aim- 
ed, and  to  which  every  other  election  was  rendered  subser- 
vient, not  indirectly,  but  by  straight  and  obvious  means. 
It  was  of  no  importance,  apparently,  whether  the  choice  to 
be  made,  at  any  given  election,  were  that  of  a governor, 
a member  to  Congress,  or  to  the  Legislature  of  the  State— 
or  whether  it  were  that  of  a constable  of  the  obscure  ward 
of  an  obscure  town — it  was  all  the  same.  The  candidates 
seldom,  if  ever,  that  I could  see,  even  professed  to  take 
I their  chief  ground  as  the  fittest  men  for  the  vacant  office— 
j this  was  often  hardly  thought  of— as  they  stood  forward 
simply  as  Adams  men  or  Jackson  men— these  being  the 
names,  it  is  right  to  mention,  of  the  two  gentlemen  aiming 
at  the  Presidency.  Although  the  party  principles  of  these 
candidates  for  any  office,  on  the  subject  of  the  Presidenta! 
election,  could  not— nine  cases  in  ten — afford  any  index  to 
their  capacity  for  filling  the  station  to  which  they  aspired, 

22* 


250 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


their  chance  of  success  was  frequently  made  to  hinge  upon 
that  matter  exclusively.  Thus  the  man  who  could  bring 
the  most  votes  to  that  side  of  this  grand,  all-absorbing  Pre- 
sidential question,  which  happened  to  have  the  ascendency 
for  the  time  being,  was  sure  to  gain  the  day,  whether  he 
were  or  were  not  the  best  suited  to  till  the  particular  va- 
cancy. 

More  or  less  this  interference  of  Presidential  politics  in 
all  the  concerns  of  life,  obtained  in  every  part  of  America 
which  I visited.  There  were  exceptions,  it  is  true,  but 
these  were  so  rare,  that  the  tone  I have  been  describing  was 
assuredly  the  predominant  one  every  where.  The  conse- 
quence was,  that  the  candidates  for  office,  instead  of  being 
the  principals,  were  generally  mere  puppets— men  of  straw 
—abstract  beings,  serving  the  purpose  of  rallying  points  to 
the  voters  from  whence  they  might  carry  on  their  main  at- 
tack in  the  pursuit  of  an  ulterior  object,  which,  after  all,  was 
equally  immaterial  in  itself,  but  which  served,  for  the  time 
being,  to  engross  the  attention  of  the  people  as  completely 
as  if  it  were  of  real  consequence  to  them.  In  these  re- 
spects, therefore,  the  Presidential  contests  in  America  re- 
semble those  field  sports  in  which  the  capture  of  the  game 
is  entirely  subordinate  to  the  pleasures  of  its  pursuit. 

I do  not  deny  that  there  is  more  or  less  of  this  spirit  in 
the  popular  elections  of  England.  I once  assisted  at  a con- 
test of  this  sort  in  Westminster,  and  well  remember  how 
completely  the  ultimate  purpose  was  lost  sight  of  by  myself, 
and  by  many  friends  of  the  parties  respectively,  in  our  ar- 
dent clesire  to  succeed,  merely  for  the  sake  of  succeeding. 
Such,  I fully  believe,  is  the  necessary  consequence  of  any 
thoroughly  populer  election:  and,  accordingly,  while  it  lasts, 
it  is  sometimes  not  a bit  less  violent  in  Covent  Garden  than 
it  is  in  America.  But  the  essential  difference  between  the 
cases  lies  in  the  frequency,  and  in  the  duration  of  these  ve- 
hement excitements. 

Now,  with  the  knowledge  we  have  of  the  commotion 
which  even  these  comparatively  rare,  and  always  transient, 
ebullitions  produce,  let  us,  if  we  can,  imagine  what  would 
be  the  state  of  things  in  England,  were  the  Westminster 
form  of  election  to  become  general  over  the  Island,  and,  in- 
stead of  lasting  a fortnight,  were  it  made  perpetual!  We 
should  then  have  some  idea  of  what  is  going  on  in  America 
at  ail  times  and  seasons.  Persons  who  have  seen  only  one 
side  of  the  picture  may  suppose  this  colouring  exaggerated; 
but  those  who  have  seen  both,  will  be  ready,  I am  persuad- 
ed, to  acknowledge,  that  as  far  as  it  is  possible  to  establish 


- UNITED  STATES. 


251 


a comparison  between  societies  so  differently  circumstanced, 
the  illustration  is  one  which  will  help  an  Englishman  to  un- 
derstand what  is  passing  in  America, 

lit  England,  where  the  elections,  upon  an  average,  oc- 
cur once  in  little  more  than  four  years,  these  scenes  pass 
over,  after  producing  their  wholesome  excitement,  and,  ha- 
ving left  us  quite  as  well,  and  generally  better  than  they 
found  us,  allow  people  to  set  about  their  ordinary  business 
again  with  renewed  spirit  and  cheerfulness.  But  in  Ame- 
rica the  electioneering  spirit  never  dies;  and  though  no  one 
in  that  country  denies  this  fact,  the  admission  is  qualified  by 
the  assurance,  that,  upon  the  whole,  essential  good  is  the  re- 
sult. It  is  declared  that,  without  some  such  powerful  sti- 
mulus perpetually  acting  upon  the  people,  they  would  be- 
come indifferent  to  their  duties  on  the  one  hand,  and  to  their 
rights  on  the  other— and  then  their  liberties  would  be  lost 
for  ever. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

We  left  Albany  on  the  28th  of  September,  1827,  and 
proceeded  in  the  direction  of  Boston,  through  what  are  call- 
ed the  New  England,  or  Eastern  States,  consisting,  as  I 
think  I have  mentioned  before,  of  Maine,  Vermont,  New 
Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  Rhode  Island. 

We  should  be  the  most  ungrateful  people  in  the  world, 
were  we  to  omit  expressing  our  sense  of  the  uncommon 
kindness  shown  to  us  by  every  person,  with  whom  we  form- 
ed any  acquaintance  at  Albany.  The  formality,  so  irksome 
elsewhere,  though  still  much  greater  than  we  had  been  ac- 
customed to  in  other  countries,  seemed  gradually  to  wear 
off,  upon  more  extensive  and  varied  intercourse;  especially 
in  the  case  of  our  fellow-lodgers;  and  we  now  most  anxious- 
ly trusted,  that  our  previous  opinions  on  this  subject  had 
been  hastily  formed.  In  general  society,  also,  so  much  at- 
tention is  paid  to  all  our  wants,  and  such  a ready  disposi- 
tion manifested  to  give  information,— to  say  nothing  of  the 
obliging  notice  taken  by  all  parties  of  our  young  traveller, 
now  a year  and  a half  old,— that  we  left  Albany  with  sin- 
cere regret;  and,  in  laying  out  plans  of  future  operations, 
always  arranged  matters  for  paying  another  visit  to  our  kind 
friends  there.  It  is  easy  to  make  such  resolutions  on  pa- 


S52  TRAVELS  IN  THE 

per,  but  when  so  large  a portion  of  a whole  continent  is  to 
be  visited,  so  many  thousands  of  rugged  miles  to  be  gone 
over,  and  all  sorts  of  climates  to  be  encountered,  it  is  some- 
what presumptuous  to  calculate  what  shall  be  done  a year 
in  advance.  And  so  it  proved — for  we  never  saw  Albany 
again. 

It  is  often  supposed  that  travellers  can  rarely  acquire  any  ’■ 
strong  interest  in  places  through  which  they  pass  so  quick- 
ly. But  the  valuable  friendships  I formed  at  Albany,  and 
in  many  other  parts  of  America — added  to  ample  experience 
elsewhere*— -have  taught  me  how  soon  even  such  casual  and 
apparently  transient  influences  take  deep  root,  when  cir- 
cumstances are  suitable;  and  how  firmly  they  hold  their 
ground  afterwards,  amongst  the  long-tried  regards  of  older 
acquaintance. 

At  starting  from  Albany  we  had  to  cross  the  Hudson,  and 
in  this  troublesome  operation  lost  much  time;  for  it  happens 
in  America,  as  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  that  things  are 
not  always  best  managed  at  those  places  where  it  is  expect- 
ed they  will  be  found  in  the  highest  order.  The  ferry-boats 
in  general,  it  is  true,  in  this  part  of  America,  are  admirably 
contrived  both  for  foot  passengers  and  carriages;  being  made 
so  wide  that  half  a dozen  stages  and  carts,  besides  twice 
that  number  of  horses,  may  easily  find  room  on  their  decks. 
The  moving  power  is  almost  invariably  that  of  horses;  ge- 
nerally six  or  eight  in  number,  whose  strength  is  applied  to 
paddles  similar  to  those  of  a steam-vessel. 

On  reaching  the  water’s  side  we  had  the  mortification  of 
seeing  the  boat  just  entering  the  dock  at  the  opposite  shore; 
so  that  had  we  been  five  or  ten  minutes  sooner,  we  might  * 
have  saved  more  than  an  hour’s  delay.  Owing  to  something 
having  gone  wrong  at  the  ferry,  a long  time  was  spent  in 
disembarking  the  cargo  of  horses,  sheep,  carts,  wagons,  and 
people;  while  we  had  nothing  to  do  but  sit  on  the  bank,  look- 
ing at  the  retreating  multitude  streaming  out  of  the  boat, 
and  wending  their  way  up  the  hill,  like  the  flight  into  Egypt 
in  the  old  pictures. 

At  length  the  boat  put  off,  and  slowly  recrossed  the  wa- 
ter to  our  side;  where,  however,  we  were  kept  in  the  most 
provoking  manner  some  twenty  minutes  after  every  thing 
was  ready  for  moving,  by  the  obstinacy  of  the  ferryman, 
who  would  not  stir  a foot.  What  his  reasons  were  we  could 
not  make  out;  though  probably  he  was  nettled  at  the  unmea- 
sured abuse  of  the  stage-driver,  who  indulged  his  spleen  in 
a tirade  of  oaths  and  scurrility  such  as  I had  not  heard  before 


UNITED  STATES, 


253 


in  America;— where  I must  saj  their  Jarvies  have  the  advan- 
tage of  ours  in  this  respect. 

I fancy  our  surly  skipper  had  taken  an  extra  glass,  of 
whiskey;  for,  by  dint  of  a mere  ingenious  piece  of  nautical 
mismanagement  than  any  sober  man  would  have  thought  oh 
we  bungled  our  entry  into  the  dock  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  river,  and  in  spite  of  many  an  oath,  and  many  a thump 
bestowed  on  a worn-out  horse— Charlie  by  name — -we  fairly 
stuck  fast,  with  the  bow  of  the  vessel  jammed  between  the 
two  pier-heads,  while  her  stern  was  held  tight  down  the 
stream  by  the  ebbing  tide.  I was  rather  amused  than  other- 
wise by  the  dilemma,  and  for  some  time  refrained  from  in- 
terfering, as  I have  generally  seen  professional  persons 
make  matters  rather  worse  than  better  by  their  spluttering 
on  these  occasions.  At  last  the  ferryman,  after  urging  his 
poor  beasts  to  turn  the  paddles  to  no  purpose,  threw  down 
his  whip  in  .despair,  gave  the  horse  nearest  him  a sound  box 
on  the  chops,  and  roared  out,  to  the  horror  of  the  good  com- 
pany, 44  D — n your  soul,  Charlie,  why  dont  you  get  up!’’ 

I now  thought  it  high  time  to  make  a move,  and  jumping 
from  the  carriage,  rigged  out  a spar  over  the  starboard  quar- 
ter, and  reaching  to  the  bow  of  a sloop  lying  at  the  wharf, 
by  which  means  we  boomed-off the  ferryboat’s  stern,  till  she 
came  exactly  in  a line  with  the  entrance  of  the  dock.  Poor 
Charlie,  knowing  instinctively  that  his  services  could  now 
be  of  some  use,  ran  round  quite  merrily,  and  in  we  slipped 
to  our  birth. 

I felt  a particular  degree  of  interest  in  revisiting  the  in- 
terior of  this  part  of  the  country,  from  a desire  to  compare 
the  state  of  rural  and  also  longer  settled  society,  with  that 
which  I had  now  become  pretty  familiar  with  in  the  cities, 
and  in  the  more  recently  peopled,  bustling  part  of  the  States. 
I was  the  more  anxious  to  do  this  from  having  been  told, 
over  and  over  again,  by  persons  whose  opinion  1 was  dis- 
posed to  hold  in  much  respect,  and  who  seemed  honestly 
desirous  of  putting  me  in  the  right  path,  that  all,  or  nearly 
all,  the  ideas  I had  taken  up  respecting  the  moderate  degree 
of  intelligence  of  these  people — their  incapacity,  in  common 
with  the  rest  of  mankind,  for  self-government,  and  so  on— 
were  erroneous.  Whenever  I spoke  with  disapprobation  of 
the  incessant  high  fever  in  which  all  the  world  seemed  to  be 
kept  by. the  Presidential  election*—  or  when  I cast  any  re- 
flections upon  the  mischievous  practical  effects  of  universal 
suffrage  and  annual  Parliaments,  in  bringing  into  the  Le- 
gislatures of  the  States  ignorant  and  incompetent  persons, 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  ablest  and  most  experienced,— or 


254 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


when  I spoke  of  the  limited  nature  of  the  information  pos-  | 
sessed  by  the  great  majority  of  all  the  persons  I had  yet  met 
with,  and  of  the  difficulty  I had  hitherto  found  in  carrying* 
their  ideas  out  of  money-making,  electioneering,  and  other 
local  channels,— in  short,  when  I did  not  think  every  thing,  ; 
in  America  perfect,  or  not  so  good  as  I had  been  accustomed 
to  see  in  other  countries,  in  correspondent  situations,  I was  ‘| 
always  told  that  I had  fallen  into  bad  hands — that  I had 
been  accidentally  or  wilfully  misled  by  the  people  I had  been  1 
amongst — or  that  I had  unfortunately  gone  to  such  and  such  { 
a town  at  a wrong  moment. 

From  hearing  these  assertions  so  frequently  repeated,  I 
really  began  to  hope  that  I had  been  deceived,  especially  as 
these  optimists  told  me  to  wait  till  I had  seen  the  people  of 
the  interior,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  contaminating  influence  j 
of  cities,  steam-boats,  and  stage-coaches.  “ Go  to  our  flou-  J 
rishing  villages,  sir,”  they  said,  “and  talk  to  our  farmers: 
there  you  will  see  our  character- — there  you  will  find  the  high- 
minded  and  intelligent  citizens  of  our  country.” 

I said  I would  do  so  with  all  my  heart.  And  I kept  my 
word.  Nor  did  I go  about  the  inquiry  with  any  unwilling- 
ness to  find  things  as  they  were  represented  to  me;  but,  on 
the  contrary,  in  all  these  researches  I most  anxiously  en- 
deavoured to  see  things  as  the  inhabitants  wished  me  to  see., 
them;  took  every  possible  means  of  explaining  the  anoma- 
lies I saw,  or  thought  1 saw,  in  a pleasant  way,  and  perse- 
vered in  following  the  rule  I have  been  guided  by  through  jj 
life— to  see  every  thing  on  its  most  favourable  side. 

It  is  due  to  the  subject,  however,  and  perhaps  to  myself, 
to  say,  with  reference  to  the  above  assurances  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, and  my  determination  in  consequence,  that  I was  not  jj 
quite  so  young  a traveller  as  to  believe  at  once,  and  upon 
trust,  that  the  usual  law  in  such  matters  was  inverted  in  the 
case  of  their  country,— which  would  certainly  be  the  case  if 
more  intelligence  and  talents  were  found  in  the  villages  of 
the  interior,  than  in  the  cities.  All  I assert  is,  that  I was 
willing  to  be  convinced;— a feeling  which  I carried  not  only 
to  the  agreeable  little  country  town  of  Stockbridge  in  Massa- 
chusetts, where  we  made  our  first  halt,  but  to  hundreds  of 
others  which  I visited  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States; — so 
varied  in  situation  and  circumstances,  as  to  present  them- 
selves under  every  conceivable  aspect  as  to  age,  prosperity, 
population,  climate,  and  all  the  other  modifying  causes,  do- 
mestic and  political,  which  caii  be  supposed  to  have  any  in- 
fluence in  determining  national  character.  . 

It  may  perhaps  be  thought  that  I anticipate  matters  a little 


UNITED  STATES. 


255 


I— but  I think  the  truth  cannot  be  too  soon  told— and  I must 
therefore  confess,  that  in  spite  of  my  own  best  wishes,  en- 
couraged by  the  ardent  persuasions  of  the  Americans,  I found 
■all  parts  of  the  country  very  much  alike, — that  I could  never 
[jin  any  place  discover  for  myself,  or  hear  upon  good  authority, 
any  thing  of  that  peculiar  intelligence,  or  that  peculiar  high  - 
minded  ness,  so  much  insisted  upon  by  American  writers, 
land  rung  into  my  ears  by  almost  every  person  I met  with 
from  end  to  end  of  the  continent. 

The  fact,  it  appears  to  me,  is  simply  this;— -the  American 
people  are  very  like  other  people  in  these  respects;  and  ex- 
actly in  proportion  to  their  motives  to  exertion,  so  they  be- 
come well  informed  and  attend  to  their  business,  and  not 
one  whit  more.  Under  similar  circumstances,  when  such 
do  occur,  which  for  obvious  reasons,  can  very  rarely  happen, 
they  are  just  like  the  common  run  of  Englishmen;  and  as  I 
do  not  think  the  circumstances  in  America  are  more  favour- 
able for  the  attainment  of  intellectual  excellence  than  they 
are  in  England,  but  tend  rather,  on  the  contrary,  to  distract 
and  waste  the  powers  of  the  human  mind,  by  diverting  it 
from  its  proper,  because  most  natural  course,  into  a hundred 
minor  channels;  so  I do  not  think  that  the  inhabitants,  gen- 
erally speaking,  are  by  any  means  more  intelligent. 

During  my  residence  near  Stockbridge,  I went  frequent- 
ly into  the  village,  it  being  my  pleasure  as  well  as  my  busi- 
ness to  get  acquainted  with  as  many  of  the  inhabitants  as  I 
could.  This  was  an  easy  task,  as  they  were  universally  as 
kind  and  obliging  as  I had  found  their  countrymen  else- 
where. I had  also  opportunities  of  visiting  the  neighbour 
ing  country  houses  and  farms,  sometimes  in  company,  and 
sometimes  alone,  upon  which  occasions  I had  the  means  of 
seeing,  on  every  hand  instances  of  that  energy  of  character, 
and  ardent  perseverance  for  which  the  New  Englanders  are 
so  deservedly  distinguished.  It  is  well  known  to  every  one 
in  the  least  degree  acquainted  with  America,  that  by  far  the 
greatest  conquests  of  man  over  the  wilderness  in  the  West, 
have  been  achieved  by  these  hardy  pioneers,  as  they  are  well 
termed,  from  the  Eastern  States.  That  section  of  the  Union, 
indeed,  has  served  as  a hive  from  whence  swarms  of  emi- 
grants, as  robust  in  body  as  in  mind,  have  issued  forth,  and 
carried  with  them  to  the  woods  the  same  spirit  of  freedom, 
of  enterprise,  and  of  active  labour,  which  has  belonged  to 
them,  I believe,  ever  since  their  first  settlement. 

Besides  these  numerous  detailed  examinations  of  the 
country  society  in  Massachusetts,  we  had  the  frequent  good 
fortune  to  meet  the  more  wealthy  class  of  the  village  resi 


256 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


dents  at  their  own  houses.  Upon  one  of  these  occasions  I /• 
was  gratified  in  a very  high  degree  by  making  acquaintance 
with  the  accomplished  author  of  several  admirable  works  of  * 
fancy — “Redwood,”  “Hope  Leslie,”  and  others,  which  I 
am  happy  to  find  have  been  republished,  and  are  becoming  * 
more  known  in  England ; because,  independently  of  that  high  j 
and  universal  interest  attaching  to  works  of  fiction  in  thel 
hands  of  genius— wherever  placed, — these  novels  possess  ’ 
another  and  very  pleasing  kind  of  merit,  in  the  graphic  truth  $ 
with  which  the  country  in  which  the  scenes  are  laid  is  de-  | 
scribed. 

It  was  our  peculiar  good  fortune,  not  only  to  converse  J 
with  the  author,  but  afterwards,  under  instructions  which  1 
she  chalked  out  for  us,  to  visit  some  parts  of  the  country  best  j 
adapted  for  showing  off  the  beauties  of  a New  England  au-  , 
turn n.  Thus  prepared,  we  carried  this  lady’s  books  in  our  -j 
hands  to  the  tops  of  the  mountains  of  the  New  World,  as 
the  tourists  to  the  Highlands  of  Scotland  used  to  carry  the 
Lady  of  the  Lake,  to  aid  their  taste  in  admiring  Loch  Ka- 
trine. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  the  picturesque  was  obliged  to 
yield  to  scenes  of  another  description,  as  the  grand  cattle  I 
show  at  Stockbridge,  the  fourth  anniversary  of  the  Agricul- 
tural Society,  took  place  at  the  period  of  our  visit. 

The  hiliarity  of  the  meeting,  however,  was  essentially  in- 
jured by  the  heavy  rain  which  fell  during  ail  the  morning; 
a circumstauce  the  more  provoking,  from  its  being  the  only 
unfavourable  day  which  had  occurred  for  some  time.  It 
was  truly  melancholy  to  see  the  poor  people’s  best  clothes 
and  other  finery  destroyed,  and  all  their  amusements  mar- 
red. The  merry  flutes  were  no  longer  merry,  while  the  j 
drums  became  soaked,  and  scarcely  yielded  a sound,  though 
ever  so  well  thumped.  The  gay  flags,  instead  of  waving 
over  the  heads  of  the  lads  and  lasses  of  the  neighbourhood, 
hung  dripping  down  to  the  very  mud.  The  bright  muskets  I 
of  the  awkward  but  showy  militia  were  speedily  tarnished  ; j 
and  instead  of  the  whole  fields  being  speckled  over  with  i 
parties  skipping  to  and  fro,  the  inhabitants  of  the  village 
and  surrounding  hamlets,  cased  in  great-coats,  or  cowering  i 
under  umbrellas,  were  huddled  together,  silent  and  dissatis- 
fied. All  was  discomfort;  and  it  made  one  feel  cold  and 
damp,  even  to  look  from  the  window  at  the  drenched  mul- 
titude. 

As  the  first  exhibition,  a ploughing  match,  took  place  so  ; 
near  the  house,  that  we  could  see  it  pretty  w^ell  without  I 
going  over  the  threshold,  we  satisfied  ourselves  for  some 


UNITED  STATES* 


257 


time  with  the  view  from  thence.  But  I was  soon  tempted, 
by  the  growing  interest  of  the  scene,  to  make  my  mind  up 
for  a ducking,  and  sallied  forth  in  the  face  of  the  storm. 
The  ploughmen,  who  showed  a great  deal  of  spirit  in  this 
amusing  competition,  all  drove  oxen,  excepting  one  man,  on 
whose  ridge  horses  w ere  used.  I have  such  an  obscure  idea 
of  what  good  ploughing  is,  that  I cannot  tell  how  this  trial 
ought  to  rank  with  similar  exhibitions  elsewhere;  in  truth  I 
soon  ceased  to  w atch  the  details  of  the  match,  in  the  per- 
sonal interest  I was  led  to  take  in  one  of  the  competitors* 
whose  vehement  anxiety  to  win  the  prize  enlisted  the 
sympathy  of  most  of  the  spectators  on  the  field.  He  was  a 
small  and  rather  handsome  negro,  who  drove  a team  of  oxen 
as  diminutive,  in  proportion,  as  himself.  His  whole  soul 
was  absorbed  in  the  enterprise*— he  looked  neither  to  the 
right  nor  to  the  left,  nor  an}  where,  indeed,  but  to  the 
heads  of  his  cattle,  whose  slightest  deviation  from  the 
straight  line,  he  watched  with  a quickness,  which  excited 
the  admiration  and  sometimes  applause  of  the  by-standers* 
In  his  hand  he  wielded  a little  whip,  or  more  generally  he 
laid  it  across  the  plough,  using  it  only  when  his  voice  failed 
to  direct  his  team.  Even  then  he  merely  touched  one  or 
the  other  of  the  oxen  with  the  end  of  the  lash,  not  rudely, 
and  with  a volley  of  angry  reproaches,  but  gently,  and  more 
as  a hint,  apparently,  to  the  animals,  than  as  a punishment. 
According!},  as  in  duty  bound,  they  seemed  to  enter  fully 
into  their  master’s  anxiety,  and  tugged  and  panted  along  in 
gallant  style! 

After  the  match  was  over,  the  umpires  kept  11s  a long 
time  in  suspense  before  they  decided  which  ridge  was  the 
best  ploughed:  for  it  appears  that  expedition  in  these  matters 
is  only  one  of  many  points  which  determine  the  real  merit 
of  the  work  done.  But  the  judges  at  last  decided  in 
favour  of  our  sable  friend,' — a result  with  which  the  whole 
field  seemed  satisfied.  Poor  blackie,  indeed,  has  very  sel- 
dom such  occasions  of  triumph,  for  even  in  these  non-slave- 
holding States  of  America,  this  fatal  shade,  by  marking  out 
the  negro  as  a totally  different  race,  gives  him  little— or  T 
might  say  no  chance — of  placing  himself  upon  any  perman- 
ent equality  with  the  white  lords  of  the  creation,  who,  on 
their  part,  would  as  soon  think  of  setting  down  to  eat  Indian 
corn  leaves,  or  chopped  pumpkings,  with  their  cattle,  as  of 
entering  into  social  intercourse  with  a fnegur;’  with  whom, 
however,  it  would  seem,  they  have  no  objection  to  engage 
in  manly,  but  temporary  competition. 

Shortly  after  the  ploughing  match  was  ended,  the  day 
Vol.  1.  23 


TKAVELS  IN  THE 


258 

cleared  up,  and  I expected  to  see  some  of  that  merriment 
set  a-going  which  I had  been  taught  to  consider  as  the  ap- 
propriate and  almost  necessary  accompaniment  to  such  a 
meeting.  In  particular  I hoped  to  see  the  women  tripping 
out  of  the  houses  and  mixing  gaily  with  the  men.  But  no 
attempt  of  this  kind  was  made,  or  once  thought  of;  the  whole 
proceedings,  indeed,  being  strongly  marked  with  that  air  of 
laborious  effort  which  always  accompanies  unwonted  amuse- 
ments; and  certainly  I never  fully  understood  before  what 
was  meant  by  making  a toil  of  a pleasure.  The  Americans, 
who  are  a very  grave  people,  keep  few  holidays;  and  whether 
it  be  cause  or  effect,  I do  not  know,  but  they  appear  wofully 
ignorant  of  the  difficult  art  of  being  gracefully  idle, — of  re- 
laxing from  toil,  and  leaving  off  business,  for  the  more 
pleasing  occupation  of  interchanging  good  and  kindly  offices, 
merely  as  such,  without  reference  to  pecuniary  profit,  or 
electioneering  politics;— as  if  bodily  and  mental  profit,  the 
gaiety  of  soul  and  the  elasticity  of  limb,  which  spring  out 
of  habitual  and  innocent  festivities,  were  not  so  much  clear 
gain!  On  this  occasion,  at  least,  there  was  no  attempt  at 
amusement  even  when  the  day  had  improved,  for  the  very 
instant  the  ploughing  match  was  over,  all  the  women  trudged 
home,  unattended;  while  the  men  crowded  eagerly  to  the 
tavern,  were,  although  I must  allow  there  was  nothing  like 
drunkenness,  or  riot,  or  noise,  there  was  a great  destruction 
of  ardent  spirits. 

As  I found  the  smell  of  whiskey  and  the  clouds  of  tobacco 
smoke  not  very  pleasant,  I took  the  opportunity  of  examin- 
ing the  domestic  manufactures,  laid  out  for  public  inspec- 
tion in  the  Academy.  The  articles  exposed  showed  greater 
skill  than  I had  expected  to  find  in  this  remote  country 
place,  and  I could  not  help  thinking  that  such  well-applied 
dexterity  and  industry  were  more  likely  to  advance  the  in- 
terests of  the  country  than  the  operations  of  any  artificial 
system  of  duties.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  protecting  sys- 
tem can  really  be  made  effective  in  the  encouragement  of 
such  works  as  I saw  on  this  day,  without  occasioning  more 
than  an  equal  loss  to  some  other  part  of  the  community,  it 
would  be  unfair  to  deny  the  wisdom  of  such  a measure. 

At  one  o’clock,  the  men  were  summoned  to  dinner  in  the 
tavern,  by  a loud  bell,  and  we  set  down,  to  the  number  of 
about  150.  Two  gentlemen  of  the  Committee  took  charge  of 
me,  and  nothing  could  be  more  attentive  or  communicative 
than  these  obliging  persons  were.  A Presbyterian  minister, 
from  one  of  the  Southern  States,  said  a long  grace  before  we 
began,  during  which  he  alone  stood.  On  my  right  set  the 


UNITED  STATES. 


259 


Professor  of  a college,  and  opposite  to  us,  side  by  side,  were 
placed  an  Episcopalian  clergyman,  and  a lawyer  of  the  village. 
A member  of  Congress,  who  had  invited  me  to  the  dinner, 
was  called  away  just  as  we  sat  down,  to  see  about  some 
twenty  head  of  cattle  he  had  brought  to  the  show  for  sale. 
After  dinner  the  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  church  said  the 
grace.  I mention  these  things  to  show  the  good  fellowship 
that  seemed  to  prevail  amongst  persons  and  sects  so  dissi- 
milar. 

Dinner,  as  I have  often  said  before,  is  a brief  affair  in 
America,  a mere  business  to  be  got  over,  not  a rational  plea- 
sure to  be  enjoyed|  and  we  were  soon  called  away, by  sound 
of  drum,  to  join  the  procession  to  the  church,  were  an  ora- 
tion suitable  to  the  day,  was  to  be  delivered.  The  company 
walked  two  and  two,  with  the  most  formal  and  funeral  so- 
lemnity,  the  women  being  kept  carefully  separated  from  the 
men.  I was  rather  surprised  when  the  gentleman  with, 
whom  I was  appointed  to  walk,  took  me  to  the  very  last, 
the  tail  of  the  line,  which,  at  first,  looked  odd  enough,  as  it 
was  obvious,  from  a hundred  other  things,  that  they  wished 
to  treat  strangers  with  all  distinction.  But  in  the  rear  I 
found  also  the  clergyman  and  several  other  principal  per- 
sons of  the  village.  This  arrangement,  which  reminded  me 
of  the  etiquette  at  a naval  funeral,  i found  was  a device  for 
giving  us  the  first  entry  into  the  church,  and  consequently 
the  choice  of  seats!  for  when  the  head  of  the  column  reached 
the  church-door,  a general  halt  took  place,  and  a lane  being; 
formed  by  the  gentlemen  who  had  been  walking  side  by  side 
now  facing  one  another,  the  two  clergymen  took  off  their 
hats,  and  advanced  from  the  end  of  the  line  up  the  avenue 
formed  by  the  double  row  of  people. 

I was  invited  to  follow  next,  and,  accompanied  by  my 
friend,  moved  along  cap  in  hand,  f observed,  that  as  the 
clergymen  passed,  about  one  in  ten  of  those  who  were  in 
the  line  touched  their  hats.  There  did  not  seem  to  be  any 
intentional  rudeness  on  the  part  of  the  other  nine,  as  the 
omission  evidently  arose  from  want  of  habitual  politeness  in 
such  matters.  In  fact,  the  whole  affair  was  a most  amusing 
though  rather  clumsy  compromise  between  the  natural  con- 
sequence which  arises  from  wealth  and  station,  and  the 
nominal  rights  and  privileges  of  that  much  talked  of  equal- 
ity which  belongs  to  a democracy.  The  dignity  of  the  sover- 
eign people,  it  will  be  observed,  was  duly  maintained  on 
this  occasion  by  their  being  allowed  the  precedence  in  the 
line  of  march!  while  their  subjects,  or  rather  the  subordinate 
sovereigns,— the  rich  or  influential  villagers—by  means 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


260 

of  the  device  I have  described,  were  allowed  the  more  solid 
advantage  of  good  situations  in  the  church.  The  ladies, 
still  kept  apart,  had  already  occupied  one  side,  while  the 
other  was  alotted  to  the  men. 

An  appropriate  agricultural  discourse  was  delivered  after 
a hymn  and  a prayer.  It  was  so  good  that  I regret  not 
having  room  for  it  all. 

t(  The  next  thing  which  I mention,”  said  the  orator,  Ci  as 
having  a bearing  upon  the  farming  interest,  and  affecting  its 
respectability,  though  of  course  unfavourably,  is  the  use  of 
ardent  spirits.  Something,  indeed,  has  been  done  of  late 
to  awaken  public  sentiment  with  regard  to  it;  but  there  is 
no  subject  on  which  a deep-toned  remonstrance  is  more 
needed.  On  this  subject  I must  state  facts,  with  regard  to 
which,  for  the  credit  of  this  town,  for  the  credit  of  this 
county,  and  of  this  country,  I would  gladly  be  silent.  The 
general  correctness  of  my  statement  cannot  be  questioned. 
How  much  ardent  spirits  do  you  suppose,  gentlemen,  is  pur- 
chased annually  at  the  different  stores  in  this  town?  Do  you 
suppose  there  are  twelve  hogsheads?  Do  you  suppose  there 
are  twenty?  Gentlemen,  there  are  thirty!  and  this  is  rather 
below  than  above  the  truth.  These,  upon  an  average,  con- 
tain 120  gallons,  making  3600  gallons  consumed  in  this 
town  in  one  year,  or  more  than  2|  gallons  for  every  man, 
woman,  and  child.  None  of  this  is  sold  for  less  than  50 
cents  a-gallon;  and  if  we  put  it  at  an  average  of  62§  cents, 
it  will  be  very  low.  If  we  average  it  at  that,  the  amount 
paid  by  this  town  for  ardent  spirits,  is  2250  dollars. 

“ If  now,  to  the  expense  of  all  this,  we  add  that  of  pauper- 
ism, produced  by  intemperance, — and  probably  nine-tenths 
of  it  is  thus  produced,— and  that  of  the  various  lingering 
diseases  which  not  only  an  excessive,  but  a moderate  use  of 
this  stimulus  induces,  there  is  no  calculating  the  expense  or 
misery  which  it  occasions.  But  the  expense,  enormous  as 
it  is,  and  probably,  for  this  county,  not  less  than  100,000 
dollars  a -year,  we  would  not  regard.  Let  our  people  be 
poor,  comparatively,  we  care  not  for  it;  but  let  them  retain 
their  integrity  and  their  virtue;  let  them  keep  themselves 
clear  from  this  abominable  sin  against  God  and  against  man.” 

This  appeal  is  sufficiently  energetic,  and,  of  course, 
would  have  roused  my  attention  to  the  subject,  had  I not 
already  been  much  struck  with  the  extent  of  the  baneful 
practice  alluded  to.  In  all  other  countries  with  which  I 
have  any  acquaintance,  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  is  confined 
almost  exclusively  to  the  vulgar;  and  though,  undoubtedly, 
the  evil  it  causes  may  be  severe  enough,  it  certainly  is  not, 


UNITED  STATES. 


261 


upon  the  whole,  any  where  so  conspicuous  as  in  the  United 
States. 

In  the  course  of  the  journey,  such  ample  means  of  judging 
of  these  effects  lay  on  every  hand,  that  I speak  of  them  with 
great  confidence,  when  I say,  that  a deeper  curse  never  af- 
flicted any  nation.  The  evil  is  manifested  in  almost  every 
walk  of  life,  contaminates  all  it  touches,  and  at  last  finds  its 
consummation  in  the  alms-house,  the  penitentiary,  or  the 
insane  institution!  so  that,  while  it  threatens  to  sap  the 
foundation  of  every  thing  good  in  America-— political  and  do- 
mestic—it  ma}7-  truly  be  said  to  be  worse  than  the  yellow  fever, 
or  the  negro  slavery,  because  apparently  more  irremediable. 
Dram-drinking  has  been  quaintly  called  the  natural  child, 
and  the  boon  companion  of  democracy;  and  is  probably  not 
less  hurtful  to  health  of  body,  than  that  system  of  government 
appears  to  be  to  the  intellectual  powers  of  the  mind. 

Fortunately,  however,  the  sober-minded  part  of  the  Ame- 
rican population,  who  are  fully  alive  to  the  enormity  of  this 
growing  and  frightful  evil,  are  making  great  efforts  to  check 
its  progress.  At  the  same  time  I must  confess,  that  as  yet 
I have  not  heard  in  conversation,  nor  seen  in  print,  nor  ob- 
served any  thing  myself  in  passing  through  the  country, 
which  promises  the  least  alleviation  to  this  grievous  mischief, 
of  which  the  origin  and  continuance,  I suspect,  lie  somewhat 
deeper  than  any  American  is  willing  to  carry  his  probe. 
The  habit,  according  to  my  view  of  the  matter,  is  interwo- 
ven in  the  very  structure  of  that  political  society  which  the 
Americans  not  only  defend,  but  uphold  as  the  very  wisest 
that  has  ever  been  devised,  or  ever  put  in  practice,  for  the 
good  of  mankind.  At  present,  however,  my  object  is  to 
deal  chiefly  with  the  fact,  though  I may  remark  in  passing, 
that  in  a country  where  all  effective  power  is  placed — not 
indirectly  and  for  a time,  but  directly,  universally,  and 
permanently— in  the  hands  of  the  lowest  and  most  numer- 
ous class  of  the  community,  the  characteristic  habits  of  that 
class  must  of  necessity  predominate,  in  spite  of  every  con- 
ceivable device  recommended  and  adopted  by  the  wise  and 
the  good  men  of  the  nation. 

That  I am  not  overstating  the  facts  of  this  case,  will  be 
seen  from  the  following  extracts  from  the  First  Report  of 
the  “ American  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Temperance,” 
established  at  Boston  on  the  10th  of  January,  1826. 

il  The  evils  arising  from  an  improper  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors,  have  become  so  extensive  and  desolating,  as  to  call 
for  the  immediate,  vigorous,  and  persevering  efforts  of  every 
philanthropist,  patriot,  and  Christian.  The  number  of  lives 

23  * 


262 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


annually  destroyed  by  this  vice  in  our  own  country  is  thought 
to  be  more  than  thirty  thousand ; and  the  number  of  persons 
who  are  diseased,  distressed,  and  impoverished  by  it,  to  be 
more  than  two  hundred  thousand;  many  of  them  are  not 
only  useless,  but  a burden  and  a nuisance  to  society. 

46  These  liquors,  it  is  calculated,  cost  the  inhabitants  of 
this  country  annually,  more  than  forty  millions  of  dollars; 
and  the  pauperism  occasioned  by  an  improper  use  of  them, 
(taking  the  commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  as  an  example,) 
costs  them  upwatds  of  twelve  millions  of  dollars.”  (P.  8.) 

The  Society  is  in  hopes,  that  by  ‘ 4 some  system  of  in- 
struction and  action,  a change  may  be  brought  about  in  pub- 
lic sentiment  and  practice  in  regard  to  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors;  and  thus  an  end  be  put  to  that  wide-spreading  intem- 
perance which  has  already  caused  such  desolation  in  every 
part  of  our  country,  and  which  threatens  destruction  to  the 
best  interests  of  this  growing  and  mighty  Republic,”  (P.  4.) 

The  same  Report  contains  many  very  curious  extracts 
from  official  and  other  documents,  all  bearing  more  or  less 
testimony  to  the  enormity  of  this  evil,  but  which  are  too 
long  to  extract.  The  following  paragraphs,  however,  are  so 
remarkable  in  themselves,  independently  of  their  connexion 
with  this  subject,  that  I think  it  right  to  give  them  a place 
without  abridgement. 

45  The  number  of  paupers  received  into  the  alms-house  at 

Philadelphia. 


in  1823  was  4908 
la  1824  5251 
in  1825  4394 
in  1826  4272 


expenses  in  dollars  144,557 

198.000 

201.000 
129,383 


Total  in  four  years  18,825,  expenses  672,940 

66  The  alms-house  at  New  York,  and  the  penitentiary  con- 
nected with  it,  has  about  2000  inmates  constantly,  at  the 
annual  cost  of  about  a hundred  thousand  dollars.  Nearly  all 
these  people  are  addicted  to  intemperance. 

44  From  a Report  made  to  the  legislature  of  New  Hamp- 
shire in  1821  by  a committee,  it  appears  that  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  poor  in  that  state  has  cost  them,  from  1799  to 
1820,  726,547  dollars— average  annual  expense,  35,327  dol- 
lars. In  Massachusetts  there  are  7000  paupers,  whose  sup- 
port costs  the  state  360,000  dollars.  From  a Report  made 
to  the  legislature  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  in  the  year  1822, 
it  appears  that  there  were  then  6896  permanent,  and  22,  111 
temporary  paupers,  whose  support  cost  that  year  470,582 
dollars. 


UNITED  STATES. 


263 


“ By  meam,  of  these  data  we  estimate  the  number  of  pau- 
pers in  the  United  States  at  two  hundred  thousand,  whose 
support  costs  annually  ten  millions  of  dollars.  We  coincide 
In  opinion  with  the  managers  of  the  Society  for  the  Preven- 
tion of  Pauperism  in  the  city  of  New  York,  who,  in  one  of 
their  Reports,  say,  “ in  the  production  of  crime  and  pauper- 
ism, ardent  spirits  may  justly  be  called  the  cause  of  causes.’5 
—First  Annual  Report  of  the  American  Temperance  Soci- 
ety, printed  at  Andover,  1828,  pages  64  and  65. 

It  would  be  well,  I think,  if  those  writers  and  orators-— oil 
both  sides  of  the  Atlantic— who  are  so  prompt  at  every  mo- 
ment to  visit  with  unmitigated  censure  the  operation  of  the 
English  Poor  Law  system,  would  take  the  trouble  to  look  at 
some  of  these  things.  The  abuses  of  the  Poor  Laws  are  no 
doubt  often  grievous;  and  certainly  I have  no  intention  of 
becoming  the  champion  of  such  departures  from  their  origi- 
nal intention.  That  sort  of  argument,  indeed,  which  de- 
rives its  merit  from  recrimination,  like  the  celebrated  dis- 
pute touching  the  relative  colour  of  the  pot  and  kettle,  may 
not  always  elicit  important  truths,  but  may  sometimes  do 
good,  by  making  inconsiderate  people  think  and  inquire,  be- 
fore they  speak. 

The  same  curious  Report  goes  on  to  observe,  that  “ others 
compute  the  drinking  population  at  one  million,  and  the 
number  of  intemperate  persons  at  three  hundred  thousand, 
and  the  number  of  families  afflicted  in  various  way9  by  this 
terrible  scourge  at  four  hundred  thousand. 

! We  believe  the  foregoing  estimates  are  as  nearly  cor- 
rect as  the  nature  of  the  case  will  admit  of;  and  after  all 
the  deductions  are  made  which  any  person  whatever  may 
1 demand,  enough  of  want,  disease,  madness,  crime,  and 
death,  will  remain,  to  stain  the  custom  of  using  ardent  spi- 
ll rits  with  human  blood , and  lay  to  its  charge  the  perdition  of 
souls'.” 

' Although  it  may  be  thought  I have  already  said  enough 
on  this  subject,  I must,  in  justice  to  all  parties  concerned, 
tadd  the  opinion  of  one  of  the  most  respectable  bodies  in 
America.  The  following  paragraph  is  taken  from  page  256 
of  the  Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyteri- 
an Church  in  rhe  United  States,  published  in  Philadelphia 
! in  1828. 

“Intemperance  is  a vice  which  maintains  a wide  and 

I fierce  conflict  with  the  remonstrances  of  interest,  reason, 
and  honour — with  the  warnings  of  conscience,  and  the 
threatenings  of  Heaven;  and  since  a closer  and  more  anx- 
ious inquiry  into  the  extent  and  consequences  of  the  prac- 


S64  TRAVELS  IN  THE 

lice  of  freely  using  ardent  spirits  has  been  instituted,  the  re- 
ligious community  have  awoke,  as  it  were,  from  a dream,  to 
witness  the  wide  and  mournful,  and  augmenting  ravages  of 
this  evil,  which  is  every  year  bearing  its  thousands  to  untime- 
ly graves;  reducing  hundreds  of  virtuous  and  independent  fa-* 
milies  to  poverty  and  disgrace;  laying  the  brightest  hopes  of 
genius  and  learning,  and  the  fairest  prospects  of  usefulness 
and  honour,  in  the  dust,  and  hastening  to  cover  our  nation 
with  general  disgrace,  and  plunge  thousands  of  immortal  be- 
ings into  everlasting  destruction.” 

After  these  frightful  statements,  it  may  seem  strange  that,, 
during  the  whole  journey,  I should  have  seen  very  little 
drunkenness,  properly  so  called.  But  drinking  and  drunk- 
enness, it  must  be  observed,  are  not  always  necessarily  con- 
nected; and  I was  perfectly  astonished  at  the  extent  of  in- 
temperance, and  the  limited  amount  of  absolute  intoxica- 
tion. To  get  so  drunk  as  to  kick  up  a row,  or  tumble  about 
the  streets,  or  disturb  a peaceable  household  all  night  long, 
are  feats  that  require  a man  to  sit  down  to  his  bottle,  and 
swill  away  till  inebriety  is  produced.  To  what  extent  this 
practice  is  followed  as  a habit  in  America,  I cannot  say.  I 
certainly  never  saw  any  of  it.  But  what  I did  see,  at  every 
corner  into  which  I travelled,  north  or  south,  east  or  west, 
was  the  universal  practice  of  sipping  a little  at  a time,  but 
frequently.  In  many  places,  it  was  the  custom  to  take  a 
dram  before  breakfast,  and  in  some  parts  of  the  country 
another  was  taken  immediately  after  that  meal;  and  so  on 
at  intervals,  which  varied  from  half  an  hour  to  a couple  of 
hours,  during  the  whole  day. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


On  the  3rd  of  October,  1827,  we  left  Stockbridge,  and 
proceeded  across  the  country  to  Northampton,  another  of' 
those  beautiful  New  England  villages,  which  it  is  impossible 
to  overpraise.  Our  road  was  conducted  through  ravines, 
over  mountain  passes,  and  occasionally  along  the  very  sum- 
mit of  ridges,  from  whence  we  commanded  a view  of  suffi- 
cient beauty  to  redeem,  in  the  course  of  one  morning,  all  j 
the  flatness  and  insipidity  of  our  previous  journey.  The 
greater  part,  indeed,  of  the  country  which  we  had  yet  seen 
—always,  of  course,  excepting  the  beautiful  Lake  George,  i 


I 


UNITED  STATES. 


265 


nd  delightful  Hudson— consisted  either  of  ploughed  fieldsj 
sr  impenetrable  forests,  or  it  was  spotted  over  with  new  vil- 
ages,  as  raw  and  unpicturesque  as  if  they  had  just  stepped 
ut  of  a saw-pit.  The  towns  of  Massachusetts,  on  the  con- 
trary, were  embellished  with  ornamental  trees  and  flower 
gardens,  while  the  larger  features  of  the  landscape  owed 
heir  interest  to  the  more  vigorous  accompaniments  of  rocks, 
nountains,  waterfalls,  and  all  the  varied  lights  and  shades 
)f  Alpine  scenery. 

In  the  course  of  this  agreeable  day’s  journey,  we  tra- 
versed a considerable  portion  of  the  route  over  which  it  has 
peen  seriously  proposed,  I was  assured,  to  carry  a rail -road 
jetween  the  cities  of  Boston  and  Albany.  No  single  State, 
till  less  any  Section  of  the  Union,  it  seems,  likes  to  oe  out- 
gone by  any  other  State;  and  this  feeling  of  rivalry,  stimu- 
lated by  the  success  of  the  great  Erie  Canal — an  underta- 
king highly  favoured  by  nature — lias,  I suppose,  suggested 
the  visionary  project  in  question.  In  answer  to  the  appeals 
frequently  made  to  my  admiration  of  this  scheme,  I was 
compelled  to  admit,  that  there  was  much  boldness  in  the 
conception;  but  I took  the  liberty  of  adding,  that  I con- 
ceived the  boldness  lay  in  the  conception  alone;  for,  if  it 
were  executed,  its  character  would  be  changed  into  mad- 
ness. 

Albany  and  Boston  lie  nearly  e'ast  and  west  of  each  other; 
while  much  of  the  intermediate  space  is  so  completel}r  rib- 
bed over  by  a series  of  high  ridges  running  north  and  south, 
that  the  rail-way  in  question  would  have  to  pass  along  a sort 
of  gigantic  corduroy  road,  over  a country  altogether  unsuit- 
ed for  such  an  undertaking.  Besides  which,  several  naviga- 
ble rivers,  and  more  than  one  canal,  lying  along  the  inter- 
mediate valleys,  connect  the  interior  with  the  sea,  and  thus 
afford  far  readier  means  of  exporting  or  importing  goods  to 
or  from  New  York,  Albany,  or  Boston,  than  any  rail-way 
can  ever  furnish. 

The  same  reasoning  might  be  applied  to  a hundred  other 
projects  in  the  United  States,  many  of  them  not  less  im- 
! practicable,  but  which,  although  existing  only  on  paper,  are, 
nevertheless,  assumed  as  completed,  and  cast  into  the  ba= 
lance  of  American  greatness,  till  the  imaginary  scale,  loaded 
with  anticipated  magnificence,  makes  the  Old  World  kick 
the  beam,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
country,  and  the  admiration  of  distant  lands,  who  know  no- 
thing of  the  matter. 

The  view  from  the  summit  of  Mount  Holyoke,  which  we 
visited  on  the  4th  of  October,  is  really  splendid,  and  is 


266 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


otherwise  most  satisfactory  for  travellers,  from  bringing 
under  their  eyes  a great  extent  of  country.  The  top  is  880 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  river  Connecticut,  which  winds 
about  in  the  alluvial  land  below,  in  a very  fantastic  style. 
This  pretty  stream  was  visible  in  a northern  direction,  for 
many  miles,  in  the  gorges  amongst  the  hills;  but,  on  turning 
to  the  south,  we  could  discover  only  a few  touches  of  it 
here  and  there,  whicn  to  the  naked  eye  seemed  merely 
patches  of  smoke;  but  when  viewed  through  a pocket  tele- 
scope, these  glimpses  looked  like  bits  of  some  immense 
looking-glass  shivered  to  pieces,  and  cast  among  the  trees. 
As  many  of  the  hills  and  dales  in  this  pleasing  prospect  had 
been  long  cleared  of  woods,  the  eye  was  not  offended  by 
that  ragged  appearance,  so  comfortless  and  hopeless-looking 
in  most  newly  settled  countries.  Such  spots,  in  this  com- 
paratively old  part  of  the  country,  are  laid  out  mostly  in 
orchards,  but  sometimes  in  meadow  lands,  or  in  wheat,  or, 
more  frequently  still,  in  maize  fields.  The  flourishing  vil- 
lages of  Northampton,  Hadley,  and  Amherst,  lay  almost  at 
our  feet.  The  planners  of  these,  and  indeed  of  most  of  the 
villages  in  that  part  of  the  United  States,  appear  to  have 
commenced  by  making  a street,  or  unpaved  avenue,  if  not 
less  than  eighty  or  a hundred  yards  in  width,  with  a double 
row  of  trees  on  each  side,  and  a walk  between.  The 
houses  were  almost  invariably  detached  from  one  another, 
and  stood  back  some  ten  or  twelve  yards  from  the  broad 
and  agreeably  shaded  walks  lining  the  main  street;  the  in- 
tervening space  in  front  of  the  houses  being  generally  railed 
in,  and  trimmed  with  shrubs,  flowers,  grass  plots,  and  gra- 
velled paths.  Even  the  porches,  and  occasionally  also  the 
sides  of  the  windows  and  the  ends  of  the  houses,  were  co- 
vered with  creepers,  in  a very  pleasing  taste;  and  as  most  of 
these  buildings  were  of  wood,  painted  white,  with  dark 
green  doors  and  folding  shutters,  made  in  the  Venetian 
blind  style,  the  effect  of  the  whole  was  particularly  striking. 

Of  the  unrivalled  splendours  of  an  American  autumn  we 
had  heard  so  much  before,  that  we  considered  ourselves  for- 
tunate in  seeing  it  in  the  very  centre  of  the  most  favourable 
part  of  the  country.  I think  it  is  the  maple,  whose  leaves 
change  at  this  season  from  light  green  to  bright  crimson,  on 
every  branch  from  top  to  bottom.  Whatever  tree  it  was, 
however,  nothing  could  be  more  dazzling  than  the  effect 
produced.  But  there  were  many  others,  whose  extreme 
tops  only  were  yet  tinged;  but  in  such  endless  varieties  of  co- 
lour, an,,  all  so  vivid,  that  it  was  sometimes  well  nigh  painful 
to  the  eye  to  look  at  them,  I need  not  say  with  what  effect 


UNITED  STATES', 


26  7 


the  honest  evergreens  held  their  place  as  a sober  ground- 
work to  these  brilliant  though  transitory  tints — not  the  less 
pleasing,  probably,  on  that  account.  Upon  the  whole,  I do 
not  know  that  I have  seen  in  other  countries  any  thing  so 
wonderfully  diversified,  as  the  colours  of  the  foliage  at  this 
season  in  New  England. 

The  word  for  autumn  in  that  country  is  the  Fall— a term 
happily  expressive  of  the  fate  of  the  leaves,  and  worthy, 
perhaps,  of  poetical,  if  not  of  vulgar  adoption.  Why,  if 
the  Spring  be  the  rise  of  the  year,  should  we  not  apply  an 
equally  descriptive  expression  to  the  period  when  the  law  of 
nature,  that  all  things  on  earth  must  droop  and  perish,  is 
urged  in  such  impressive  language  upon  our  thoughts  P 

Before  stepping  into  the  carriage,  in  which  it  appeared  we 
might  proceed  about  half  way  up  Mount  Holyoke,  we  con- 
sulted the  people  of  the  house  as  well  as  the  guide-books,  as 
to  the  facilities  of  the  road;  and  f particularly  asked  the 
bar-keeper  if  he  thought  we  might  take  the  child.  He 
laughed  and  exclaimed,  “ 0 no!  you  will  never  be  able  to 
get  up  if  you  take  the  infant;  the  road,  I promise  you,  is 
very  difficult  and  steep.” 

Travellers  are  an  obstinate  race,  it  is  said;— but  in  truth, 
they  seldom  know  rightly  what  to  do  till  the  excursion  is 
over,  and  then  their  experience;  like  that  of  most  people, 
comes  rather  late.  As  the  habit  of  road-books  and  guides, 
for  obvious  reasons,  is  always  to  exaggerate  things,  so  their 
object  in  this  case  was  manifestly  to  make  the  mountain 
as  high  as  possible.  I therefore  inferred,  from  nothing  being 
said  in  the  books  of  the  difficulty  of  the  ascent,  that  the 
patriotic  bar-keeper  was  merely  puffing  off  his  favourite 
hill,  by  superadding  an  allowance  of  steepness.  Accord- 
ingly, I decided  upon  carrying  the  whole  party,  notwith- 
standing the  smile  which  I detected  whisking  about  the  lips 
of  my  informant  as  he  closed  the  carriage  door,  and  we 
moved  off. 

For  the  first  mile  and  a half,  our  road  lay  through  a fiat  allu- 
vial meadow,  covered  with  groups  of  haymakers,  besides 
parties  of  men  and  women  stripping  overloaded  apple-trees 
which  lined  the  way,  along  which  the  fruit  was  piled  into 
pyramids,  ready  for  the  wagons.  After  this,  we  cross-’ 
ed  the  Connecticut,  a stream  which  gives  its  name  to  one  of 
the  eastern  States,  and  soon  afterwards  began  to  clamber 
up  a cleft  in  the  hill,  or  what  in  fact  was  more  like  a South 
American  Quebrada  than  any  thing  else — much  steeper  at 
all  events  than  any  road  I ever  saw  attempted  before  in  a 
wheeled  carriage.  At  length  the  driver,  declaring  he  could 


268 


travels  in  the 


go  no  further,  let  us  out,  and  pointed  to  a tolerably  steep 
foot-path.  We  laughed  to  scorn  this  pigmy  difficulty,  and 
chuckled  at  the  triumph  over  the  bar-keeper  and  his  predic- 
tions. By  and  by.  however,  the  path  took  a bend,  upon 
which  the  inclination  became  like  that  of  a stair,  with  this 
material  difference,  that  the  steps  on  the  mountain  side  were 
formed  of  loose  stones,  planted  at  such  awkward  distances 
from  one  another,  that  the  effort  necessary  to  establish  a 
proper  footing,  was  by  no  means  trifling.  Here  I was,  of 
course,  obliged  to  hoist  the  young  lady  on  my  back, — and  a 
weary  tug  we  had  of  it ! 

The  proverbial  facility  of  descent,  however,  was  any: 
thing  but  easy  in  our  case,  and  I really  do  not  know  how 
we  should  ever  have  got  down  again — with  whole  bones,  at 
least — had  we  not  met  a gentleman  and  his  son,  an  active 
boy,  ramblers  like  ourselves,  and  such  obliging  persons,  that  5 
we  scrupled  not  to  accept  their  aid  in  our  difficulties. 

The  beauty  of  the  prospect  from  the  summit  of  this  noble 
hill,  by  completely  arresting  our  attention,  had  rendered  us 
careless  about  sundry  threatening  squalls  of  rain,  which 
stalked  slowly  over  the  landscape,  like  enormous  giants 
with  their  heads  thrust  into  the  clouds,  and  adding  much 
to  the  grandeur  of  the  scenery,  both  by  their  own  majestic 
and  haif  mysterious  appearance,  and  by  the  long  belts  of, 
shadow  which  trailed  behind  them  for  many  a league.  In 
the  course  of  lime  one  of  these  drizzly  monsters  advanced 
upon  Mount  Hoi  joke,  and  after  drenching  the  village  of  jf 
Northampton  beneath  us,  and  setting  all  our  friends,  the 
haj makers  and  apple-gatherers,  to  the  right  about,  took  pos- 
session of  the  high  ground,  so  as  to  shut  us  completely  out 
from  the  wide  world  we  had  been  admiring. 

As  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  seen,  and  the  night  was, 
falling  fast,  it  became  necessary  to  retrace  our  steps  with- 
out delay.  The  path,  however,  up  which  we  had  laborious-  ' 
ly  climbed,  locked  twice  as  steep  as  before;  the  stones, 
moreover,  were  nearly  as  slippery  from  the  show  er,  as  so 
many  blocks  of  ice,  and  consequently,  the  danger  of  tumbling 
far  greater  than  in  the  first  instance.  A false  step  on  the 
ascent  w ould  merely  have  brought  our  noses  in  contact  with 
the  ground,  but  a similar  slip  now  might  have,  pitched  us 
headlong  down  the  ravine.  On  reaching  the  inn  at  North- 
hampton, the  steps  were  let  down  by  our  friend  the  bar- 
keeper, who,  as  he  lifted  the  exhausted  little  girl  from  the 
carriage,  and  observed  the  state  of  fatigue  of  the  whole 
party,  seemed  hail  tempted  to  reproach  us  with  our  insen- 
sibility to  his  warning;  but  he  managed  his  triumph  with 


tJNITED  STATES. 


26  9 


better  taste,  and  merely  smiled  when  I groaned  out  that  he 
was  the  better  prophet  of  the  two. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  we  proceeded  to  Worcester,  an- 
other of  those  very  pleasing  villages  which  are  such  an  or- 
nament to  New  England.  Here  the  weather,  that  for  some 
days  had  been  fine,  changed  in  the  course  of  the  night;  and 
the  wind,  chopping  about,  blew  so  furiously,  that  when  I 
looked  out  of  the  window  next  morning,  a shower  of  leaves 
as  thick  as  snow-flakes,  but  of  all  dies— red,  orange,  yellow, 
scarlet,  and  green,  swept  glittering  by. 

At  Worcester  I met  a remarkably  intelligent  person,  with 
whom  I fell  into  conversation  on  the  subject  of- manufac- 
tures, and  the  measure  which  was  then  in  agitation,  and 
has  since  been  carried,  of  protecting,  as  it  is  called,  the  do- 
mestic industry  of  that  country  by  a new  Tariff,  or  higher 
scale  of  duties  on  imported  goods. 

He  contended  that  the  manufactures  of  New  England  in 
particular,  but  also  those  of  other  parts  of  the  Union,  had  grown 
up  during  the  late  war,  when  foreign  goods  were  excluded, 
and  had  been  enabled  to  flourish,  more  or  less,  ever  since, 
in  consequence  of  the  protecting  duties  laid  on  foreign  ar- 
ticles by  the  General  Government.  I was  more  anxious  to 
hear  his  opinions  than  to  give  my  own,  and  therefore  mere- 
ly made  one  or  two  commonplace  remarks  on  the  danger  of 
tampering  with  such  matters,  and  the  evils  which  arose 
from  governments  attempting  to  lead  industry  by  roads 
which  it  would  not  have  followed  naturally  if  left  to  itself. 
44  Yes,  sir,”  said  he,  44  that  is  all  true  in  theory,  and  quite 
suitable  to  those  general  principles  which  would  be  uner- 
ring guides,  provided  all  the  world  were  wise,  and  equally 
liberal  and  reasonable  in  such  matters;  but  I put  it  to  your 
candour  to  answer  me  this  question, — How  are  the  people 
of  those  parts  of  our  country  to  live,  where  agriculture,  in 
consequence  of  the  inferior  soil,  is  not  a productive  line  of 
industry?  What  are  we  to  do?  And,  on  the  other  hand, 
with  whom  are  the  agricultural  portions  of  our  Union  to  ex- 
change their  produce?  If  all  the  world  wTere  open— well 
and  good — but  when  you  in  England,  for  example,  shut  the 
door  against  the  introduction  of  American  wheat  and  other 
bread-stuffs— what  are  the  inhabitants  of  those  sections  of 
our  country  which  raise  grain  in  abundance,  to  do  with  their 
crops?  They  want  manufactured  goods — they  have  grain 
to  give  for  them— but  you  who  manufacture  cheap  things, 
will  not  accept  the  only  payment  they  are  competent  to  of- 
fer; and  consequently  they  i#ust  apply  to  their  own  indus- 
trious countrymen  of  New  England,  who,  by  dint  of  great 
Yol.  i.  24 


270 


TRAVELS  IN  THE. 


regularity  of  habits,  and  vigorous  application,  assisted,  too, 
in  a most  remarkable  manner,  by  an  almost  unbounded  com- 
mand of  water-power  for  their  machinery,  as  well  as  water- 
transport  for  their  goods,  are  enabled  by  a moderate  protec- 
tion to  compete — at  least  we  trust  we  shall  do  so — with  the 
superior  skill  and  greater  capital  of  England.  Thus  we 
shall  not  only  afford  ourselves  a livelihood,  superior  to  that 
which  our  comparatively  barren  soil  can  yield  us,  but  we 
shall  provide  a market  for  those  sections  of  our  own  coun- 
try where  the  land  is  fertile,  and  where  industry  finds  much 
more  productive  employment  in  bringing  waste  lands  into 
cultivation,  than  it  can  in  manufactures  for  a long  time  to 
come.” 

This  argument  may  be  very  good  for  New  England,  but 
unfortunately,  I fear,  for  that  portion  of  the  Union,  its  ap- 
plication extends  but  a little  way  over  the  whole  country; 
at  all  events,  this  doctrine  of  protection  is  vehemently  op- 
posed by  the  Southern  States,  where  the  raw  material  is 
cultivated,  and  nothing  manufactured;  and  where,  of  course, 
the  object  is  to  get  the  greatest  return  of  goods,  from 
any  quarter-— no  matter  what— in  exchange  for  the  pro- 
ducts of  their  industry.  The  Americans  of  the  South 
feel  comparatively  indifferent  about  how  their  eastern  breth- 
ren employ  their  industry;  and  are  apt  to  tell  them  to  do  as 
they  have  done  for  many  years  past,  that  is,  to  drain  off  to 
the  westward,  into  those  new  and  rich  countries,  which 
want  only  the  stroke  of  a New  Englander’s  axe  to  make 
them  start  into  life  and  vigour.  Such,  indeed,  has  hereto- 
fore been  the  course  of  things  in  America;  and  I think  it 
not  unlikely  that  they  must  eventually  return  to  the  same 
channel,  if  the  recent  Tariff,  passed  avowedly  for  the  im- 
mediate purpose  of  assisting  one  part  of  the  community, 
and  only  prospectively  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole,  shall 
not  be  able  to  resist  the  efforts  of  those  parties  who  suffer 
under  its  operation  in  the  meantime. 

Should  this  Tariff,  however,  really  be  a good  measure 
with  reference  to  America,  it  will,  of  course,  hold  its 
ground  in  spite  of  its  inconvenience — whatever  that  may  be 
—to  other  countries.  But  I suspect  it  will  be  a hard  mat- 
ter to  persuade  the  opposite  parties,  or  those  who  do  not  be- 
nefit directly  by  it,  to  lie  upon  their  oars,  and  be  contented 
with  measures,  of  which  the  present  effect  is  notoriously  to 
make  what  they  want  deafer,  and  for  any  future  change  in 
which,  they  have  only  the  interested  promises  of  those  very 
manufactures,  who  flourish,  say  their  antagonists  only  at  the 
expense  of  their  non-manufacturing  countrymen. 


UNITED  STATES. 


271 


IF  New  England  were  a separate  and  independent  State* 
I can  really  discover  no  good  argument  in  reply  to  the 
above  reasonings.  My  friend,  however,  did  not  make  out 
his  point,  I think,  in  defending  the  Tariff;  but  perhaps  his 
argument  may  suggest  another  and  equally  important  view, 
namely,  that  these  Eastern  States  may  really  have  within 
themselves  the  means  of  becoming  an  independent  manu- 
facturing country.  But  they  cannot  reasonably  hope  to  ac- 
complish such  a purpose,  even  with  all  their  local  advan- 
tages, at  the  cost  of  the  Southern  States,  while  both  are 
members  of  the  same  political  body;  while  if  they  were  dis- 
entangled  from  such  association,  they  would  have  to  enter 
the  market  along  with  the  competitors  of  Europe.  How 
New  England  would  be  able  to  stand  this,  remains  to  be 
seen. 

After  all,  it  is  probable,  I think  that  if  there  wrere  no  pro- 
tecting duties  at  all,  or  very  moderate  ones,  these  matters 
would  come  to  the  same  point,  ultimately,  and  pretty  nearly 
in  the  same  interval  of  time  as  they  will  do  now.  It  is 
quite  clear,  that  goods  from  England,  or  any  where  else, 
will  not  continue  to  flow  into  America,  unless  payment  flows 
out  of  it,  in  some  shape  or  other;  and  if  the  English  manu- 
facturer will  not  take  the  6 bread-stuffs’  of  the  agricultural 
American  States  in  exchange,  while  the  New  Englanders 
are  willing  to  take  them;  what  is  to  present  the  adjustment 
alluded  to  P This  if  I understand  it,  is  exactly  what  the  ma- 
nufacturers expect  will  eventually  take  place.  “ But  in  the 
mean  time,”  say  they,  64  until  we  are  helped  over  the  stile, 
and  fairly  placed  in  the  market,  by  the  exclusion  of  foreign 
competition,  we  cannot  begin  the  race  on  fair  terms.” 
Perhaps  the  best  policy  of  x\merica  would  be  the  adoption 
of  the  lowest  duty  which  would  not  entirely  exclude  foreign 
competition;  not,  of  course,  out  of  tenderness  to  foreign- 
ers, but  simply  because  if  this  minimum  point  be  exceeded 
—as  it  is  loudly  declared  by  a great  part  of  the  nation  to 
have  been  by  the  late  enactments— there  seem  to  be  obvi- 
ous reasons  why  no  reliance  can  be  placed  on  the  stability 
of  the  Tariff;  and  the  capital  which  is  turned  aside  by  such 
delusive  hopes,  will  be  in  some  danger  of  perishing  alto- 
gether. 

Without  entering  into  the  morale  of  smuggling,  I may  ob- 
serve, that  all  experience  shows  the  utter  impossibility  of 
keeping  out  those  goods  which  the  people  wish  to  have,  even 
from  places  beyond  comparison  more  easily  guarded  than 
America.  It  is  idle,  indeed,  to  talk  of  any  thing  being  per- 
manently effective  in  this  way,  against  the  general  wishes  of 


& l ti 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


\ the  country,  along  such  extensive  lines  of  coast  as  those  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  and  of  Canada,  to  say  nothing  of  what  is 
called  the  sea  board,  or  Atlantic  shore.  In  the  course  of 
one  day,  I have  passed  along  a district  which  a thousand 
custom-house  officers  could  not  have  protected  from  such 
inroads  for  an  hour.  And  I have  repeatedly  heard  in 
American  companies  the  details  of  projects  which  could 
easily  defeat  every  such  surveillance.  As  to  any  refined 
moral  sensibility  standing  in  opposition  to  such  methods  of 
making  money,  it  is  useless  to  say  one  word.  In  all  parts 
of  the  globe,  the  moment  taxes  of  any  kind,  and  especially 
those  which  relate  to  the  duty  on  foreign  goods,  become 
more  severe  than  the  sensible  part  of  the  nation  think  rea- 
sonable, the  shame  of  smuggling  is  at  an  end.  The  only 
difference  which  practically  takes  place  is,  that  the  working 
hands  are  changed.  The  reckless  Contrabandista  takes  the 
place  and  reaps  all  the  profits,  and  generally  a great  deal 
more  than  the  profits,  formerly  earned  by  the  fair  dealer — 
the  difference  being  paid  by  the  consumer;  44  for  vice,’’  to 
use  the  expression  of  an  acute  American  reasoner  on  this 
subject,  44  is  always  ready  to  fill  up  the  gap  left  by  misgo- 
vern ment.” 

These  very  shocking  doctrines  are,  of  course,  stoutly 
denied  in  the  American  legislature -but  I have  seen  too 
much  of  the  difference  which  exists  between  promise  and 
performance,  in  political  matters,  to  distrust  what  experi- 
ence has  established  in  every  other  quarter  of  the  globe;  or 
to  expect  that,  if  smuggling  can  be  made  profitable  in  that 
country,  the  shame  which  attaches  to  it  will  not  be  soon 
frittered  away. 

The  arguments  drawn  from  the  success  which  long  ago  at- 
tended a similar  course  of  prohibitory  regulations  in  England, 
will  hardly  apply  to  America,  in  consequence  of  most  of 
the  essential  ciacumstances  being  dissimilar.  During  those, 
times  when,  I grant,  our  commerce  and  manufactures  did 
flourish  under  the  exclusive  system,  we  had  things  nearly  all 
our  own  way,  or  with  hardly  any  thing  deserving  the  name 
of  competition  to  oppose  us;  and  it  was  really  too  much  for 
flesh  and  blood  to  resist  the  temptation  of  profiting  thereby. 
Now,  if  America  can  manage,  by  any  system  of  tariffs, 
coast  blockades,  treaties,  or  other  devices,  to  place  herself 
in  circumstances  at  all  similar,  she  will  be  very  foolish  not 
to  avail  herself  of  those  advantages  which  we  found  to  flow 
from  them.  But  is  any  approach  to  this  possible,  with  such 
a rival  as  England  in  the  market — to  say  nothing  of  the 
Continental  nations  of  Europe,  which  have  lately  entered 


UNITED  STATES,  273 

the  field  of  competition  since  the  halcyon  days  of  British 
monopoly  were  over? 

In  answer  to  this  question,  it  may  be  urged,  that  Ameri- 
ca, in  some  senses,  may  be  called  an  insular  nation,  and 
possesses  other  peculiarities  besides  the  absence  of  neigh- 
bours, which  cannot  be  imitated:  such  as  the  unbounded 
room  in  which  her  population  may  rove  about.  But  it  re- 
mains yet  to  be  seen,  how  far  these  geographical  distinc- 
tions which  insulate  her  so  much  from  the  rest  of  the  world, 
are  capable  of  being  turned  to  useful  account.  For  my  part, 
I really  think  we  ought  not  to  decide  hastily  upon  such  ques- 
tions, as  it  may  possibly  be  shown  by  time,  that  reasonings 
of  great  pith  and  moment,  as  applied  to  Europe,  may  have 
little  or  no  reference  to  the  political  economy  of  a country 
so  entirely  different  in  some  essential  points  of  comparison. 

The  Tariff  of  1828,  which  raised  the  duties  on  the  import 
of  English  goods,  was  certainly  at  first  a most  unpopular 
measure  over  great  part  of  the  Union;  and  was  received,  in 
the  Southern  States  particularly,  with  much  loud  indigna- 
tion. Many  threats  of  resistance  were  held  out,  all  of 
which,  as  I understand,  have  since  died  away.  The  fact 
seems  to  be,  there  is  too  little  concert  amongst  the  mem- 
bers of  any  party  to  such  opposition,  to  carry  their  wishes 
through.  But  perhaps  the  chief  explanation  of  this  and 
many  other  similar  instances  of  acquiescence,  is  to  be  found  in 
the  peculiar  character  of  the  American  people,  whose  youth 
and  elasticity  carry  them  through  these  and  many  other 
temporary  obstructions.  It  is  not  at  all  uncommon  to  see 
branches  of  trade  entirely  broken  up, — for  example,  that 
with  the  British  West  Indies, — and  yet  no  particular  ill 
consequences  follow.  The  persons  engaged  in  those  lines 
of  business,  speedily  find  some  other  occupation,  and  then 
their  murmurs  cease.  This,  however,  is  attributable  to  a 
very  obvious  national  trait  in  the  character  of  the  American 
population:  they  area  people  of  shifts  and  expedients,  always 
accommodating  themselves  to  circumstances,  never  losing 
their  own  confidence,  but  ever  ready  to  try  something  else, 
after  a failure  in  one  thing.  This  peculiar  versatility  and 
resource  is  inherent  in  the  whole  nation,  but  more  particu- 
larly in  the  Northern  and  Eastern  States,  and  may  possibly 
have  taken  its  rise  from  the  privations  and  hardships  suffered 
by  their  ancestors  in  the  early  occupation  of  the  country. 

In  new  settlements,  where  present  comforts  are  all  that 
are  looked  for,  every  difficulty  is  met  by  some  ingenious 
and  ready,  though  perhaps  temporary  expedient.  From  the 
small  number  of  artisans  in  such  situations,  too,  the  settlers 

24  * 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


274 

are  obliged  io  turn  their  heads  to  every  thing;  and  hence 
they  become  capital  Jacks  of  all  trades.  The  result  of 
causes  acting  so  extensively  over  the  country,  taken  along 
with  other  circumstances  in  their  political  and  geographical 
situation,  is  the  formation  of  a race  of  people  prompt 
to  adopt  new  trials  of  skill,  and  who  are  not  likely  to  be 
depressed  or  permanently  injured  by  changes  in  the  direc- 
tion of  commercial  enterprise;  or,  indeed,  by  any  of  the 
ordinary  reverses  of  fortune. 

At  the  same  time,  there  has  sprung  up  amongst  them  a 
habit  of  shrewdness,  which  is  generally  dignified  by  the 
name  of  intelligence,  in  close  connexion  with  the  universal 
habit  of  bargaining,  which  soon  makes  them  adepts  in  every 
business  they  undertake.  In  the  early  years  of  American 
colonization,  the  adoption  of  these  qualities  was  almost  in- 
dispensable to  their  existence,  as  means  of  self-defence, 
when  surrounded  by  the  dexterous  savages  of  the  wilder- 
ness. And  although  the  aborigines  have  entirely  disap- 
peared, the  same  principles  of  action,  under  various  modifi- 
cations, are  still,  very  often,  found  necessary  to  success,  in 
a country  where  all  men  are  engaged  in  one  and  the  same 
engrossing  pursuit — namely,  that  of  making  money. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Ox  Saturday,  the  6th  of  October,  1827,  just  as  the  sun 
was  dropping  behind  the  ranges  of  hills  through  which  we 
had  passed  the  day  before,  we  came  in  sight  of  the  goodly 
city  of  Boston,  the  capital  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  great 
northern  rival  to  the  Port  of  New  York.  A high  moslem- 
looking  dome  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  surmounting  the 
State  House,  which  is  placed  on  the  most  elevated  point  of 
ground,  was  of  course  the  last  which  kept  sight  of  the  sun. 
But  we  were  still  in  time  to  enjoy  about  ten  minutes’  illu- 
mination of  the  numerous  spires,  and  other  high  buildings, 
ranges  of  streets,  and  long  bridges,  three  or  four  in  number, 
which  connect  several  distinct  ranges  of  suburbs  with  the 
peninsula  upon  which  this  beautiful  town  is  built.  One  of 
these  districts,  called  Charlestown,  claimed  our  particular 
attention,  from  its  standing  at  the  bottom  and  partly  on  the 
side  of  the  celebrated  Bunker’s  Hill. 

As  our  object  on  arriving  at  any  place  was  always  to  see, 


UNITED  STATES. 


275 


as  soon  as  possible,  whatever  was  most  remarkable,  we  glad- 
ly availed  ourselves  of  a friend’s  convoy  to  one  of  the  Uni- 
tarian churches,  on  the  next  day,  Sunday  the  7th  of  Octo- 
ber, when  a celebrated  champion  of  these  doctrines  was  to 
preach* 

A considerable  change,  it  appears,  had  taken  place  at 
Boston,  of  late  years,  in  the  religious  tenets  of  the  inhabi- 
tants; and  Unitarianism,  or,  as  I find  it  called  in  their  own 
publications,  Liberal  Christianity,  had  made  great  advances, 
chiefly  under  the  guidance  of  this  distinguished  person. 

The  pastor  had  just  returned  to  his  flock  after  an  absence 
of  some  months,  and  took  advantage  of  the  occasion  to  re- 
view, in  a rapid  manner,  the  rise  and  progress,  as  well  as 
the  peculiar  nature,  of  the  doctrines  he  so  powerfully  advo- 
cates. He  struck  me  as  being,  in  many  respects,  a re- 
markable preacher;  particularly  in  the  quietness,  or  repose 
of  his  manner.  How  far  this  proceeded  from  the  simplici- 
ty of  his  thoughts,  or  from  the  unaffected  plainness  of  his 
language,  I cannot  exactly  say;  but  the  power  which  it  gave 
him  of  introducing,  when  it  suited  his  purpose,  occasional 
passages  of  great  force  and  richness  of  expression,  was  one 
of  which  he  availed  himself  with  much  skill.  It  was  mani- 
fest, indeed,  that  the  influence  he  held  or  appeared  to  hold, 
over  the  minds  of  his  hearers  was  derived  mainly  from  their 
reliance  on  his  sincerity,  whatever  some  of  them  might  have 
thought  of  his  doctrines,  the  tone  of  his  voice  was  familiar, 
though  by  no  means  vulgar;  on  the  contrary,  it  might  almost 
be  called  musical,  and  was  certainly  very  pleasing  to  the 
ear;  but  whether  this  arose  from  the  sounds  themselves,  or 
from  the  eloquent  arrangement  of  the  words,  I never  thought 
of  inquiring,  as  I was  carried  along  irresistibly  by  the 
smooth  current  of  his  eloquence. 

He  began  by’ greeting  his  friends  with  great  suavity  of 
address;  and  if  there  did  appear  a little  touch  of  vanity  in 
the  implied  importance  which  he  attached  to  all  that  con- 
cerned himself  in  the  eyes  of  his  flock,  it  partook  not  in 
the  slightest  degree  of  arrogance,  but  was  very  allowable, 
considering  the  real  influence  he  had  so  long  enjoyed.  In- 
deed, from  what  I saw  and  heard,  I should  think  he  rather 
fell  short  than  exceeded  the  limits  to  which  he  might  have 
safely  gone,  when  speaking  to  his  congregation  of  the  feel- 
ings, the  hopes,  and  the  fears,  which  rose  in  his  mind  on  re- 
turning to  his  wonted  duties,  with  health  somewhat  repair- 
ed, but  not  restored.  At  first,  this  familiarity  of  tone,  and 
almost  colloquial  simplicity  of  expression,  sounded  so 
strangely  from  the  pulpit,  that  the  impression  was  not  al- 


276 


TRAVELS  rN  THE 


together  favourable,  but  there  soon  appeared  so  much  real 
kindness  in  all  he  said,  that  even  we,  though  strangers,  were 
not  untouched  by  it. 

He  then  gradually'embarked  on  the  great  ocean  of  religious 
controversy,  but  with  such  consummate  skill,  that  we  scarce- 
ly knew  we  were  at  sea  till  we  discovered  that  no  land  was 
in  sight.  After  assuring  us  that  he  had  been  called  to  the 
front  of  the  battle,  though,  in  truth,  he  was  a man  of  peace, 
and  a hater  of  all  disputation,  he  described,  with  singular 
effect,  the  impression  left  on  his  mind,  one  day  recently,  by 
hearing  a discourse  in  a country  church  where  narrow  views 
of  mental  liberty  had  been  inculcated.  Nothing  certainly 
could  be  more  poetical  than  the  contrast  which  he  drew  be- 
tween the  confined  doctrines  he  had  heard  within  the  walls, 
and  what  he  eloquently  called  the  free  beauties  of  thought 
and  of  nature  without. 

By  the  time  the  preacher  reached  this  part  of  his  dis- 
course our  curiosity  was  much  excited,  and  I,  for  my  own 
part,  felt  thoroughly  caught,  and  almost  prepared  to  go 
along  with  him  into  any  region  he  pleased  to  carry  me. 

He  next  gave  us  an  account  of  his  share  in  the  progress 
of  the  controversies  to  which  he  alluded,  and  explained 
again  and  again  to  us,  in  a variety  of  different  shapes,  that 
his  great  end  in  advocating  the  Unitarian,  or  Liberal  doctrines, 
was  to  set  the  human  mind  entirely  free  on  religious  sub- 
jects, without  any  reference,  he  earnestly  assured  us,  to  one 
sect  more  than  to  another,  but  purely  to  the  end  that  there 
might  be,  in  the  world  at  large,  the  fullest  measure  of  intel- 
lectual independence  of  which  our  nature  is  capable.  He 
spoke  a good  deal  of  the  Christian  dispensation,  to  which, 
however,  he  ascribed  no  especial  illuminating  powers,  but 
constantly  applied,  that  every  man  was  to  judge  for  himself 
as  to  the  degree  and  value  of  the  light  shed  by  Revelation, 
Reason  and  conscience,  according  to  his  view  of  the  matter, 
ought  to  be  our  sole  guides  through  life,  and  the  efficacy  of 
our  Saviour’s  atonement  was  not,  as  far  as  I could  discover, 
even  once  alluded  to,  except  for  the  purpose  of  setting 
it  aside.  He  earnestly  exhorted  his  hearers  not  to  rely  en- 
tirely upon  the  Scriptures,  nor  upon  him,  their  pastor,  nor 
upon  any  other  guides,  human  or  divine,  if  I understood 
him  correctly,  but  solely  upon  the  independent  efforts  of 
their  own  minds.  Our  Saviour,  as  “the  first  of  the  Sons 
of  God,”  he  held  up  as  an  example  worthy  of  all  imitation; 
but  the  indispensable  necessity  of  his  vicarious  sacrifice  was 
clearly  denied. 

The  Christian  religion,  he  told  us,  as  first  preached  by  the 


UNITED  STATES. 


277 


Apostles,  was  well  suited  to  those  early  times.  But’,  ac- 
cording to  him,  it  soon  became  corrupted,  and  was  never 
afterwards  purified,  even  at  the  Reformation.  Much, 
therefore,  still  remained  to  be  done;  and  one  step  in  this 
great  work,  he  led  us  to  infer,  was  actually  in  progress  be- 
tore  us,  in  the  extension  of  Unitarianism. 

As  it  is  quite  foreign  to  my  purpose  to  enter  into  the  de- 
tails of  this  controversy,  I have  merely  mentioned,  as  im- 
partially as  possible,  what  seem  to  be  the  leading  points  of 
a doctrine  which  has  obtained  a complete  ascendency  in  one 
of  the  most  enlightened  parts  of  the  country,  and  is  rapidly 
spreading  itself  over  the  United  States,  in  spite  of  the  ef- 
forts of  the  Episcopal  and  Presbyterian  Churches.  Under 
their  banners,  indeed,  I have  the  satisfaction  of  saying, 
there  are  collected  men  of  the  most  eminent  piety,  and  ar- 
dent devotion  to  the  service  of  religion,  who,  I am  well  con- 
vinced, from  all  I saw  and  heard,  are  as  zealously  bent  on 
defending  the  sacred  cause  intrusted  to  their  hands,  as  any 
body  of  men  in  the  world.  I make  this  assertion  respecting 
the  American  Clergy  without  reservation  of  any  kind;  for 
it  is  my  firm  belief,  after  the  most  attentive  observation  and 
inquiry,  that  as  far  as  in  them  lies,  the  cause  alluded  to  will 
wot  be  neglected. 

But  the  Church,  most  unfortunately,  I think,  for  that 
country,  is  unconnected  with,  and  unsupported  by  the  State, 
Neither  can  it,  by  any  possibility,  under  the  present  arrange- 
ments, derive  assistance,  direct  or  indirect,  from  govern- 
ment, nor  can  the  Church,  in  turn,  render  back  any  services 
to  the  State.  Without  at  present  entering  upon  any  dis- 
cussion as  to  the  theory  of  the  alliance  between  Church  and 
State,  I simply  mention  the  fact,  that  in  America  there  is  no 
such  union,  either  tacit  or  formal.  The  evils  which  the 
absence  of  this  important  connexion  brings  on  the  nation 
are,  according  to  my  view  of  the  matter,  two-fold  in  kind, 
one  affecting  the  civil  administration  of  affairs,  the  other  in- 
fluencing religious  sentiment. 

But  I expressly  defer  entering  into  the  arguments  upon 
this  subject,  till  I shall  have  described  those  facts,  moral 
and  political,  upon  a knowledge  of  which  these  reasonings 
must  be  grounded,  in  order  to  be  useful,  or  even  intelligible. 
In  the  meantime,  however,  I may  state,  witli  reference  to  the 
particular  topic  under  consideration,  that  it  has  never  before 
fallen  in  my  way  to  examine  with  attention  the  subject  of 
Unitarianism;  and  I suspect,  from  all  1 could  learn,  very  few, 
even  of  this  clergyman’s  regular  congregation,  have  either 
time  or  application,  or  the  means  in  other  respects,  of  giving 


578 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


the  question  that  full  and  independent  examination  which 
he  himself  recommended,  and  in  fact  stated,  in  my  hearing, 
to  be  absolutely  necesssary  to  a right  comprehension  of  the 
subject.  Still,  even  if  his  congregation  really  had  such  op- 
portunity of  leisure,  I imagine  there  is  abundant  analogy  to 
bear  me  out  in  the  belief  that,  in  the  end,  so  far  from  their 
all  being  of  one  mind,  no  two  of  the  investigators  would  land 
in  the  same  persuasion.  And  I greatly  mistake  the  state  of 
the  fact,  if  this  conviction  have  not,  at  bottom,  a place  in 
the  minds  of  almost  all  this  great  orator’s  hearers;  who, 
therefore,  so  far  from  attending  to  his  recommendation  of 
exerting  their  own  powers,  and  their  own  knowledge,  to- 
wards the  formation  of  a religious  sentiment  for  themselves, 
are  merely  led  along,  unresisting  captives  to  their  pastor’s 
eloquence. 

The  truth  is,  independent  thinkers,  on  any  subject,  are 
not  so  easily  made  as  this  discourse  seemed  to  imply;  and 
fortunately  it  happens,  that  it  is  least  of  all  on  subjects  con- 
nected with  the  foundations  of  religion  that  men  are  inclined, 
even  if  they  had  it  in  their  power,  to  make  an  exception  to 
this  rule.  In  proportion,  therefore,  as  this  circle  of  Liberal 
Christians  is  extended,  so,  I suspect,  will  increase  the  num- 
ber of  those  who,  as  they  either  cannot,  or  do  not  choose  to 
take  the  matter  into  their  own  hands,  will  freely  give  the 
reins  of  their  imagination  into  those  of  any  preacher  who,  as 
in  the  present  instance,  from  his  pre-eminent  talents,  disin- 
terestedness, and  virtuous  life,  may  seem  competent  to 
guide,  or  at  all  events  to  please  them;  while,  in  point  of  fact, 
their  religious  thoughts  and  opinions,  however  they  may  have 
strayed  from  the  faith  of  their  fathers,  are  not  one  whit  more 
independent  than  before. 

I have  perhaps  dwelt  on  this  subject  longer  than  at  first 
view  may  appear  necessary;  and  most  assuredly,  I should 
not  have  entered  upon  it  at  all,  had  I not  been  forcibly 
struck  with  an  important  analogy  between  the  doctrines  of 
this  Liberal  Christianity,  and  those  principles  of  government 
which  have  gained,  by  gradual  advances,  the  entire  political 
ascendency  in  America.  Unitarianism.  as  I heard  it  laid 
down  at  Boston — and  I am  acquainted  with  it  in  no  other 
shape— may,  I conceive,  fairly  be  called,  without  any  thing 
disrespectful,  the  Democracy  of  Religion;  for  while  it  affects 
to  teach  men  to  cherish  entire  mental  independence,  it  dis- 
entangles them  totally  from  that  allegiance  and  reliance  upon 
the  merits  of  their  Saviour,  which  Revelation  inculcates  on 
the  minds  of  ail  those  who  believe  in  his  divinity,  as  the 
surest,  indeed  the  only  solid  ground-work  of  their  hopes; 


tTNXTED  STATES. 


279 


whereas  the  doctrines  referred  to  above,  send  us  back,  in  a 
vicious  circle  of  unsubstantial  reasonings,  to  the  shallow 
fountains  of  our  own  unassisted  thoughts,  for  what  certainly 
cannot  be  found  there.  I am  firmly  persuaded,  therefore, 
such  principles,  sooner  or  later,  must  lead,  in  any  country 
that  adopts  them  generally,  to  as  portentous  changes  in 
questions  of  religion,  as  those  which  civil  democracy,  if  I 
may  so  call  it,  has  already  brought  about  in  every  country 
whose  people  have  tried  the  very  perilous  experiment  of  di- 
rect self-government. 

I have  the  less  scruple  in  stating  my  opinions  with  respect 
to  the  probable  effects  of  the  diffusion  of  these  doctrines, 
from  finding  the  same  expectation  as  to  the  probable  exten- 
sion of  Unitarianism  advanced  with  complacency  in  various 
American  publications.  In  that  country  the  popular  cast  of 
the  religious  institutions  and  discipline  is  already  very  great, 
while  the  facilities  of  further  change  are  so  inviting,  that 
these  liberal  doctrines,  from  harmonizing  so  well  with  every 
thing  else,  are  almost  sure  of  ultimate  success. 

The  difference  between  America  and  England  in  the  im- 
portant point  of  church  government,  appears  to  be  simply 
this:— With  them  religion,  like  every  thing  in  the  country, 
is  left  to  take  its  own  course;  we,  on  the  other  hand,  have 
chosen  to  collect  together  the  experience  which  has  resulted 
from  long  ages  of  trial  and  discussion,  and  to  fix  this  con- 
densed knowledge  in  one  solid  fabric.  By  means  of  the 
powerful  Establishment  so  constructed,  any  violent  or  rad- 
ical alterations  in  doctrine  or  discipline,  are  rendered  well- 
nigh  impossible,  as  far  at  least  as  they  effect  the  mass  of  the 
community;  while,  at  the  same  time,  all  persons  who  may 
not  choose  to  go  along  with  the  Church,  are  left  at  perfect 
libertyAo  exercise  their  birth-right,  and  think  and  act  for 
themselves. 

In  these  respects,  indeed,  the  Church  of  England  has  the 
good  fortune — in  which  the  rest  of  the  country  far  more  than 
equally  participate — of  being  diametrically  opposed,  in  every 
circumstance,  to  the  religious  institutions  of  America. 
Changes  with  us,  it  must  be  remembered,  are  proverbially 
difficult  in  all  things — in  matters  relating  to  the  Church, 
pre-eminently  so.  And  I trust,  before  the  close  of  this  work, 
I shall  have  no  difficulty  in  showing  in  what  manner  this 
long-continued  stability  in  the  most  important  branch  of  the 
English  Government— -this  type  of  the  Rock  of  Ages — has 
contributed  to  fix  the  national  character;  and  also  how  con- 
fidently, as  long  as  the  Established  Church  retains  its  as- 
cendency, avoiding  carefully  all  internal  changes,  and 


280 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


setting  popular  interference  with  its  constitution  at  defiance., 
we  may  likewise  predict  the  permanency  of  every  thing  else 
we  hold  dear  in  the  country. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


As  we  had  brought  upwards  of  twenty  letters  of  introduc- 
tion to  different  persons  in  Boston,  we  thought  at  first  of 
sending  only  a few,  selected  from  those  which  seemed  most 
likely,  from  what  we  had  heard,  to  prove  useful.  But,  upon 
consideration,  we  found  this  required  a greater  knowledge 
of  the  parties  than  we  possessed;  so  we  merely  wrote  our 
address  upon  each  letter,  sent  out  the  whole  batch,  and  sat 
still  to  watch  the  result.  The  sun  was  scarcely  down  be- 
fore a considerable  number  of  visiters  came  to  us,  amongst 
whom  was  one  very  distinguished  person,  whose  conversation 
struck  me  as  superior  to  what  I had  before  heard  in  America,  N 
We  soon  fell  to  work,  and  for  several  hours  kept  up  a smart 
discussion  on  the  never-ending  topic  of  our  respective  coun- 
tries; but  all  in  perfect  good-humour,  and,  I hope,  in  a spirit 
of  mutual  and  friendly  allowance  for  the  wide  difference  of 
circumstances  between  us. 

It  is  amusing  enough,  by  the  way,  to  observe,  that  when- 
ever an  Englishman  and  an  American  meet  in  that  country, 
they  seem  to  fancy  it  a point  of  conscience  to  put  their  lances 
in  rest  at  once,  and  try  to  unhorse  each  other,  with  or  w ith- 
out further  subject  of  dispute,  like  the  Knights  in  the  Fairy 
Queen,  at  every  rencounter,  whether  of  friend  or  foe. 

But  for  all  this,  I cannot  say  that  during  the  Journey  I 
met  with  any  thing  that  gave  me  more  pleasure  than  this 
interview,  or  which  I found  more  useful  afterwards.  Here- 
tofore I had  often  had  occasion  to  regret  the  contracted  and 
distorted  kind  of  acquaintance  which,  in  spite  of  all  their 
declarations  to  the  contrary,  some  of  the  best-informed 
persons  appeared  to  have  of  the  operations  of  the  English 
system  of  government,  and  of  society  generally.  Here,  at 
last,  thought  I,  is  a man  whose  knowledge  is  not  confined 
to  the  superficial  aspect  of  things,  but  who  really  goes  into 
their  spirit;  and,  if  he  cannot  be  expected  to  feel  like  us, 
he  at  least  understands  what  we  feel.  In  this  manner  we 
went  over  many  points  of  comparison  between  the  two  na- 
tions; and  though  we  by  no  means  took  the  same  view  of 


UNITED  STATES, 


281 


matters,  we  each  saw  distinctly  what  the  other  meant,— 
which,  next  to  convincing  your  antagonist,  or  being  yourself 
convinced,  is  the  greatest  pleasure  such  discussions  can  af- 
ford. Accordingly,  if  my  highly-informed  friend  had  taken 
leave  at  this  stage  of  our  intercourse,  I might  have  written 
down  in  my  notes,  that  at  length  I had  met  an  American 
who,  with  reference  to  England,  understood  the  operation 
of  those  circumstances  which,  as  we  think,  give  permanent 
stability  to  governments,  as  well  as  virtue  and  freedom,  and 
consequently  happiness,  to  mankind.  Unfortunately,  how- 
ever, just  as  he  had  taken  his  hat,  and  was  leaving- the  room, 
he  paused,  and  said,  44  After  all,  notwithstanding  these  ad- 
mirable balances,  effective  distinctions  in  rank,  and  other 
sources  of  remedy  for  admitted  evils,  and,  in  spite  of  your 
practical  freedom,  the  real  power  on  the  part  of  the  people, 
and  actual  responsibility  of  the  governing  parties,  there  are 
moments  when  I have  some  misgivings, — some  distrust  of 
the  permanence  of  your  system,— and  when,  I confess  to 
you,  I expect  to  see  the  whole  of  that  singular  piece  of  po- 
litical machinery,  which  has  withstood  the  tear  and  wear  of 
ages,  broken  to  pieces.” 

64  Indeed!”  I exclaimed.  44  I did  not  expect  to  hear 
this,  considering  how  correctly  you  appear  to  have  under- 
stood the  way  in  which  all  things  work  themselves  clear  in 
that  country,  happen  what  may.  But  pray,  tell  me  what 
are  the  circumstances  which  you  think  threaten  the  stability 
of  the  present  order  of  affairs  in  England?” 

44  'W  hy,”  said  he,  smiling,  as  if  half  ashamed  to  express 
what  he  felt  strongly,  44  I do  sometimes  imagine,  when  I 
read  of  your  Manchester  riots,  and  the  prevalence  of  your 
radicalism,  that  a body  of  those  desperate  men,  say  thirty 
or  forty  thousand,  will  march  to  London,  and  overturn  the 
Executive  Government,  the  Throne,  and  the  Constitution!” 

My  first  impulse  was  to  enter  into  some  explanation  of 
this  mistake;  but  in  the  next  moment  I felt  how  utterly 
hopeless  such  a task  must  be,  where  the  substratum  of  radi- 
cal error  was  so  deep.  I merely,  therefore,  smiled  in  re- 
turn at  the  destruction  of  the  grand  expectations  I had  for- 
med of  having  met  with  one  American  who  was  aware  how 
such  matters  were  managed  elsewhere— -and  I am  not  sure 
that  I ever  again  reached  so  near  the  mark  of  what  I should 
consider  just  information,  as  I had  done  upon  this  occasion. 

Subsequent  and  more  careful  reflection,  however,  upon 
this  anecdote,  has  taught  me  to  suppose  it  by  no  means  im- 
possible that  many  of  my  own  views,  with  respect  to  America, 
may  be  equally  open  to  ridicule  in  that  country,  as  this  idea 

Vol.  io  25 


282 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


of  the  Radicals  marching  to  London  is  with  us.  It  is  quite 
natural,  indeed,  that  the  native  of  a country  governed  by 
the  people  at  large  should  hold  the  Radicals  in  respect; — 
but  the  influence  due  to  rank,  which  we  reckon  upon  as 
something,  they  may  hold  as  cheap  as  we  do  the  shouts  of  a 
mob. 

On  Sunday  evening,  we  set  out,  under  the  guidance  of 
one  of  our  fellow-lodgers,  to  stroll  over  the  town,  and  in 
the  course  of  our  ramble  visited  the  new  market,  an  exten- 
sive building  of  granite;  and  afterwards  perambulated  many 
of  the  wharfs  and  other  parts  of  this  cheerful-looking  city. 
Nothing  we  had  yet  seen  in  America  came  near  to  Boston 
in  the  cleanliness,  neatness,  and,  in  many  instances,  the 
elegance  of  the  streets.  The  greater  number  of  the  build- 
ings were  of  brick,*  but  being  painted  of  different  colours, 
the  staring  red  was  exchanged  for  a tone  of  colouring  every 
way  pleasing  to  the  eye.  The  lower  story  of  many  of  the 
houses  was  of  granite,  though  some  were  built  entirely  of 
that  stone.  Several  dwellings  which  stood  apart  from  the 
rest,  looked  particularly  comfortable,  and  such  as  would 
have  been  considered  handsome  in  any  part  of  the  wrorld. 
There  was,  moreover,  a fine  Mall,  or  public  promenade, 
called  the  Common,  laid  out  in  grass  fields,  surrounded  and 
intersected  by  broad  gravel  walks,  stretching  under  rows 
of  trees,  altogether  as  pretty  a place  in  its  way  as  I ever 
saw  in  the  heart  of  a town. 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  October,  we  had  a crow'd  of 
visiters  brought  to  us  by  the  letters  sent  out  the  day  before; 
and  all  not  only  willing  to  give  us  advice  as  to  our  proceed- 
ings, but  to  lend  us  their  personal  assistance  in  viewing  the 
Lions.  Every  one,  indeed,  was  naturally  anxious  that  we 
should  see  things  in  the  most  favourable  light,  and,  of 
course,  fancied  he  could  do  the  honours  most  successfully 
in  that  respect.  This  was  very  agreeable;  and  the  only 
difficulty,  by  no  means  a small  one,  was  to  settle  what  we 
should  see  first,  and  under  whose  patronage.  One  gentle- 
man recommended  us  to  go  at  once  to  the  4 Factories’  at 
Lowell,  twenty-five  miles  oft'.  Another  exclaimed,  44  The 
thing  best  worth  seeing,  is  our  navy  yard  at  Charleston.” 
A third  said,  44  0 no!  our  hospitals  certainly  are  by  far  the 
most  interesting  objects  of  curiosity  for  a stranger.”  Thus 
our  time  was  speedily  and  pleasantly  apportioned. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  a gentleman  gave  us  a very  in- 
teresting account  of  a species  of  commerce  peculiar,  at  least 
on  so  great  a scale,  as  far  as  I know,  to  the  United  States — 
I mean  the  transport  by  sea  of  large  quantities  of  ice.  This 
trade  is  carried  on  chiefly  to  the  Havannah  in  the  West  In- 


UNITED  STATES* 


2S3 


dies,  and  to  Charleston  in  South  Carolina.  Upwards  of 
twenty  years  ago,  a gentleman  of  most  praiseworthy  enter- 
prise hit  upon  this  idea,  which  he  has  pursued  ever  since 
with  great  activity,  and,  eventually,  with  success,  though 
in  its  progress  he  had  many  difficulties  to  encounter. 
There  is  no  particular  care  taken  to  preserve  the  ice  on 
board,  except  that  the  ship  is  cased  inside  with  planks  to 
prevent  it  coming  in  contact  with  the  ceiling.  The  ice,  cut 
into  cubes  18  inches  each  way,  is  carefully  packed  by  hand* 
The  loss  by  melting  on  the  voyage  is  sometimes  one-third 
of  the  whole,  though  it  often  arrives  with  no  perceptible 
dimiminution.  My  informant  told  me,  that  when  the  ice  is 
embarked  in  winter,  with  the  thermometer  at  zero,  or  below 
it,  and  the  ship  has  the  good  fortune  to  sail  with  a brisk, 
cold,  northerly  wind,  not  a single  pound  of  the  cargo  is 
lost.  As  the  temperature  of  the  ice  on  shipping  it  is  some- 
times 30  degrees  below  the  point  at  which  it  begins  to  melt, 
a considerable  expenditure  of  cold  must  take  place,  and  con- 
sequently a certain  amount  of  time  elapse,  before  it  begins 
to  lose  weight;  so  that,  if  the  voyage  be  short,  the  entire 
cargo  is  saved.  On  the  other  hand,  if  it  be  embarked  from 
the  ice-houses  of  Boston  in  July,  with  the  thermometer  at 
80°  or  90,°  the  melting  process  will  have  already  com- 
menced; and  if  the  ship  be  then  met  by  a southerly  wind 
against  her,  or  get  drifted  into  that  immense  current  of  hot 
water  flowing  out  of  the  great  Bay  of  Mexico,  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  the  whole  slippery  cargo  is  apt  to 
find  its  way  overboard—via  the  pumps— 'before  the  voyage 
is  half  over. 

Of  late  years,  no  less  than  three  thousand  tons  of  ice  have 
been  shipped  annually  from  Boston  to  the  South,  a fact 
which  affords  a curious  illustration  of  the  power  of  com- 
merce to  equalise  and  bring  together,  as  it  were,  the  most 
distant  climates.  We  are  so  familiar  with  the  ordinary 
case  of  oranges,  which  we  buy  on  the  lowest  stalls  for  three 
a-penny,  that  we  almost  forget  they  are  not  natives  to  our 
own  soil,  and  that  it  is  far  beyond  the  reach  of  art  to  make 
them  so.  But  it  must  go  hard  with  the  fancy  of  a person 
who  sees  it  for  the  first  time,  if  he  be  not  struck  with  the 
fact  of  his  being  able  to  buy  ice  almost  as  cheap  in  the 
streets  of  Charleston,  as  he  can  in  those  of  Quebec. 

On  the  10th  of  October,  I visited  Harvard  college,  or,  as 
it  is  sometimes  called,  the  University  of  Cambridge,  two  ol 
three  miles  out  of  Boston,  I had  the  good  fortune  to  see  this 
establishment  under  the  guidance  of  a man  of  sense  and 
learning:,  possessed  also  of  an  extensive  knowledge  of  many 


284 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


other  parts  of  the  world,  from  actual  observation.  As  he 
readily  acceded  to  my  wish  to  be  allowed  to  look  over  the 
whole  without  any  previous  notice  being  given  of  my  visit, 
I amused  myself  by  going  leisurely  from  class  to  class, 
where  I found  the  students  all  busily  engaged  at  their  or- 
dinary work.  There  seemed  to  be  much  assiduity  on  the 
part  of  the  pupils;  and  I have  seldom  seen  more  anxiety 
any  where,  than  was  evinced  by  the  Professors  of  this  Uni- 
versity to  keep  alive,  amongst  the  young  men,  the  proper 
degree  of  enthusiasm  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge. 

During  the  day  we  were  joined  by  a party  of  ladies;  and 
in  their  company  we  perambulated  the  museum  and  the  li- 
brary, both  establishments  of  great  and  merited  celebrity  in 
America; — the  library,  in  particular,  which,  I am  told,  is 
very  rich  in  valuable  and  rare  books. 

On  returning  to  town,  half  drowned  in  the  deluges  of 
rain  which  had  been  falling  all  the  morning,  we  were  much 
amused  with  the  apologies  made  to  us,  by  every  one  we  met, 
for  the  state  of  the  wreather — as  if  they  could  help  its  raining 
and  blowing!  I think  I have  already  given  some  touches  of 
what  may  be  called  the  defensive  system  of  entertaining 
strangers  in  America.  These  tactics  were  brought  into 
great  play  at  Boston,  where  many  of  our  friends  seemed  to 
take  it  for  granted — though  without  any  reason — that  we 
were  watching  for  objects  of  censure;  and  therefore  they 
ran  beforehand  with  excuses  and  explanations,  respecting 
things  which  if  left  alone,  we  should  either  not  have  noticed, 
or  been  indifferent  about.  I have  already  mentioned  that 
they  often  prompted  us  to  overpraise,  and  helped  us  to  draw 
comparisons  favourable  to  themselves  and  their  country,  at 
the  expense  of  our  own.  But  here  was  a new  source  of 
mutual  worry;  for  almost  every  person  was  in  the  fidgets 
about  the  bad  weather;  not  at  all  on  account  of  its  inconve- 
nience either  to  themselves  or  to  us, — that  seemed  quite  a 
subordinate  consideration, — but  purely  as  it  acted  against 
their  nationality,  by  making  us  suspect  their  climate  was 
not  much  better  than  that  of  England. 

In  general,  the  month  of  October  is  very  fine  in  that  part 
of  the  country — at  least  so  we  were  told  a hundred  times— 
and  we  should  have  believed  the  fact  implicitly  upon  one 
tithe  of  these  assurances,  had  not  doubts  been  raised  in  our 
minds  by  this  incessant  show  of  irritation  at  the  poor  ele- 
ments, for  daring  to  belie  the  fine  speeches  made  in  their 
favour.  We  really  did  not  care  two  straws  about  the  mat- 
ter, and,  if  nothing  had  been  said,  would  not  have  minded 
what  could  not  be  helped;  for  we  were  far  to  much  in  teres- 


UNITED  STATES.  283 

ted  by  the  novelty  of  all  we  saw,  and  far  too  grateful  for 
the  hospitality  which  met  us  at  every  turn,  to  think  of  draw- 
ing those  offensive  comparisons  between  the  two  climates, 
with  which  the  good  people  of  Boston  fancied  our  heads 
were  full,  when,  in  truth,  it  was  only  our  wet  feet  that  gave 
us  any  concern. 

So  far  were  we  from  indulging  in  this  disrespectful  turn 
of  mind,  that,  ever  since  coming  to  Boston,  we  had  been 
more  struck,  and  confessed  ourselves  to  have  been  so,  with 
the  degree  of  taste  and  luxury  in  all  we  saw,  both  in  the 
external  appearance  of  the  houses,  and  in  the  good  sense 
and  good  manners  within,  than  with  any  thing  we  had  be- 
fore met  in  the  United  Ststes.  Our  friends  seemed  to  vie 
with  one  another,  as  to  who  should  be  most  useful  or  atten- 
tive to  us, 'by  placing  bails,  evening  parties,  and  morning  ex- 
cursions at  our  disposal.  These  opportunities  afforded  such 
ample  means  for  studying  the  character  of  the  people,  that 
I might  easily  describe  in  what  the  difference  consists  be- 
tween American  and  European  manners.  But  there  is  al- 
ways, I think,  more  or  less,  a breach  of  confidence  in  such 
descriptions,  however  generally  or  however  delicately  ex- 
pressed. And  this  is  true,  even  where  praise  alone  is  used. 
Strangers  should  recollect  that  they  are  admitted  not  as 
spies,  but  as  friends,  into  such  circles;  and,  it  appears  to 
me,  they  are  no  more  at  liberty  to  make  use  of  that  privi- 
lege to  publish  their  remarks  on  the  company,  because  they 
are  only  temporary  members  of  it,  than  they  would  be, 
were  they  permanent  residents  on  the  spot. 

On  the  same  principle,  I shall  often  pass  over  in  silence 
many  other  things  relating  to  the  manners  and  customs  of 
America,  some  of  which  might  be  more  instructive,  if  not 
quite  so  amusing,  as  the  gossip  just  alluded  to.  I suspect, 
after  all,  that  in  order  to  understand  the  delicate  subject  of 
domestic  society  fully,  it  must  be  examined  and  re-examined 
on  the  spot,*  and  those  who  trust  to  the  eyes  of  travellers 
must  always  take  their  chance,  at  the  very  best,  of  hearing 
accounts  far  short  of  the  reality.  Each  anecdote  or  other 
detail  which  is  related,  may  be  quite  true  in  itself,  as  far 
as  it  goes,  and  be  also  quite  faithful  to  the  general  ideas 
left  on  the  writer’s  mind;  but  still  the  conceptions  which  a 
reader  forms  by  such  assistance  may  be  totally  different 
from  the  truth,  and  often  far  wide  of  the  impression  vyhich 
the  writer  proposes  to  leave.  In  this  dilemma  there  is  but 
one  resource— -a  journey  to  the  country  itself. 

On  the  11th  of  October,  I visited  the  General  Hospital, 
a large  and  well-ventilated  granite  building,  abundantly 

25* 


2S6 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


roomy  and  well-ordered  in  every  part.  Indeed,  I hardly 
ever  saw  an  establishment  of  the  kind  which  could  pretend 
to  rival  it,  except,  perhaps,  the  Infirmary  at  Derby.  I ac- 
companied one  of  the  physicians  for  some  hours  during  his 
round  of  visits,  attending  to  all  the  details  of  the  daily  rou- 
tine, without  which  it  is  impossible  to  form  a correct  idea 
of  the  internal  discipline  of  such  an  institution.  Of  course, 
I can  only  judge  of  the  general  merits  of  matters  so  much 
out  of  my  own  particular  line;  but,  certainly,  few  men-of- 
war  are  better  regulated  than  this  excellent  hospital  ap- 
peared to  be. 

I had  a still  better  opportunity  of  judging  of  its  arrange- 
ments about  ten  days  afterwards;  when  I witnessed  the 
performance  of  what  the  surgeons  call  a grand  operation. 
The  attendant  circumstances  incident  to  a piece  of  real  ser- 
vice, as  this  may  be  called,  it  is  of  course  out  of  any  one’s- 
power  to  get  up  for  show.  Accordingly,  I made  it  ray  business, 
however  painful  the  effort,  to  be  present  on  the  day  appoint- 
ed. I can  be  no  judge  of  the  skill  displayed  upon  this  oc- 
casion by  one  of  the  ablest,  if  not  the  very  ablest  operator 
in  America.  But  I feel  quite  competent  to  judge  of  those 
subordinate  circumstances,  which  if  they  be  not  so  striking 
to  the  unpractised  eye,  are  yet,  perhaps,  even  more  severe 
tests  of  the  merits  of  a public  institution,  from  their  influ- 
ence— -good  or  bad — being  more  extensively  felt.  And  I am 
certain  that  nothing  could  be  more  perfect  in  all  their  parts, 
than  these  important  details. 

On  the  12th  of  October,  we  made  an  expedition  from  Bos- 
ton to  the  largest  manufacturing  establishment  in  New  Eng- 
land, or,  I suppose,  in  America,  at  Lowell,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Merrimack.  This  river  had  been  allowed  to  dash  un- 
heeded over  the  Falls  in  that  neighbourhood,  from  all  time, 
until  the  recent  war  gave  a new  direction  to  industry,  and 
diverted  capital  heretofore  employed  in  commerce  or  in  ag- 
riculture, into  the  channel  of  manufactures.  A few  years 
ago,  the  spot  which  we  now  saw  covered  with  huge  cotton 
mills,  smiling  villages,  canals,  roads,  and  bridges,  was  a 
mere  wilderness,  and,  if  not  quite  solitary,  was  inhabited 
only  by  painted  savages.  Under  the  convoy  of  a friendly 
guide,  who  allowed  us  to  examine  not  only  what  we  pleased, 
but  how  we  pleased,  we  investigated  these  extensive  works 
very  carefully. 

The  stuffs  manufactured  at  Lowell,  mostly  of  a coarse 
description,  are  woven  entirely  by  power  looms,  and  are  in- 
tended, I was  told,  chiefly  for  home  consumption.  Every 
thing  is  paid  for  by  the  piece,  but  the  people  work  only  from 
daylight  to  dark;  having  half  an  hour  to  breakfast  and  as 


UNITED  STATES. 


287 


long  for  "dinner.  The  whole  discipline,  ventilation,  and 
other  arrangements,  appeared  to  be  excellent;  of  which  the 
best  proof  was  the  healthy  and  cheerful  look  of  the  girls,  all 
of  whom,  by  the  way,  were  trigged  out  with  much  neatness 
and  simplicity,  and  wore  high  tortoise-shell  combs  at  the 
back  of  their  heads.  I was  glad  to  learn  that  the  most  ex- 
emplary purity  of  conduct  existed  universally  amongst  these 
merry  damsels— a class  of  persons  not  always,  it  is  said,  in 
some  other  countries,  the  best  patterns  of  moral  excellence. 
The  state  of  society,  indeed,  readily  explains  this  superiori- 
ty: in  a country  where  the  means  of  obtaining  a livelihood 
are  so  easy,  every  girl  who  behaves  well  is  sure  of  being 
soon  married.  In  this  expectation,  they  all  contrive,  it 
seems,  to  save  a considerable  portion  of  their  wages;  and  the 
moment  the  favoured  swain  has  attained  the  rank  of  earning 
a dollar  a-day,  the  couple  are  proclaimed  in  church  next 
Sunday,  to  a certainty.  The  fortune,  such  as  it  is,  thus 
comes  with  the  bride;  at  least  she  brings  enough  to  buy  the 
clothes,  furniture,  and  other  necessaries  of  an  outfit. 

Generally,  however,  these  good  folks,  as  well  as  many  of 
the  more  wealthy  class  of  the  community,  do  not  think  of 
setting  up  an  establishment  of  their  own  at  first,  but  live  at 
boarding-houses.  This  apparently  comfortless  mode  of  life, 
is  undoubtedly  far  the  most  economical;  besides  which,  it 
saves  the  mistress  of  the  family  from  the  wear  and  tear  of 
domestic  drudgery,  always  unavoidably  great  in  a country 
where  menial  service  is  held  to  be  disgraceful.  What  hap- 
pens when  a parcel  of  youngsters  make  their  appearance  I 
forgot  to  inquire;  but  before  that  comes  about  to  any  great 
extent,  the  parties  have  probably  risen  in  the  world; — for 
every  thing  in  America  relating  to  population,  seems  to  be 
carried  irresistibly  forward  by  a spring-tide  of  certain  pros*- 
perity.  There  is  plenty  of  room— plenty  of  food — and 
plenty  of  employment;  so  that,  by  the  exercise  of  a moderate 
share  of  diligence,  the  young  couple  may  swell  their  esta- 
blishment to  any  extent  they  please,  without  those  doubts 
and  fears,  those  anxious  misgivings,  which  attend  the  setting 
out  of  children  in  older  and  more  thickly  peopled  countries! 
In  America,  an  urchin,  before  he  is  much  bigger  than  a cot- 
ton bobbin,  is  turned  to  some  use.  By  and  by,  when  he  gets 
tired  of  school,  he  turns  mutineer,  buys  an  axe,  and  scamp- 
ers off  to  the  western  forests,  where  he  squats  down  on  the 
first  piece  of  land  which  pleases  him.  He  forthwith  marries, 
and  rears  up  a nest-full  of  children;  who,  in  due  course  of 
time,  play  a similar  round  of  independent  pranks,  and  reap  the 
same  roving  sort  of  success,  in  the  same  broad  world  which  is 
all  before  them,  where  to  choose  their  place  of  unquiet  rest, 


238- 


travels  IN  THE 


On  the  13th  October,  at  six  o’clock  in  the  morning,  I v/as 
awakened  by  the  bell  which  tolled  the  people  to  their  work, 
and  on  looking  from  the  window,  saw  the  whole  space  be- 
tween the  4 Factories’  and  the  village  speckled  over  with 
girls,  nicely  dressed,  and  glittering  with  bright  shawls  and 
showy-coloured  gowns,  and  gay  bonnets,  all  streaming  along 
to  their  business,  with  an  air  of  lightness,  and  an  elasticity, 
of  step,  implying  an  obvious  desire  to  get  to  their  work. 

I was  called  away  from  this  gay  scene  by  a summons  from 
our  host  to  accompany  him  in  his  gig  to  inspect  the  hydrau- 
lic works,  Anglice,  the  mill-dam,  by  which  the  water  is 
brought  from  the  river  above  the  Falls  to  the  manufactories, 
which  stand  a mile  or  two  below  the  cascade.  Every  thing 
hereabouts  looked  determined  and  business-like,  as  if  the 
whole  had  been  guided  by  one  clear  head.  A stream  capa- 
ble of  giving  motion  to  forty  or  fifty  cotton-mills  was  brought 
through  the  forest  to  a reservoir,  from  whence  it  was  distri- 
buted at  pleasure  to  the  numerous  establishment,  starting  up 
on  every  hand.  Several  school-houses  were  pointed  out  to 
me,  and  no  less  than  three  churches; — besides  innumerable 
boarding-houses,  taverns,  newspaper  offices,  watch-makers, 
book-shops,  hatters,  comb-makers,  and  all  the  family  of 
Stores,  every  one  of  them  as  fresh  and  new  as  if  the  bricks 
had  been  in  the  mould  but  yesterdajr. 

I was  much  pleased  to  see  a great  brewery  starting  up 
like  a Leviathan,  amongst  this  small  fry  of  buildings;  and 
still  more  pleased  when  I learnt  from  my  friend  that  there 
were  hopes  of  being  able  to  substitute  malt  liquor  among  the 
cotton-mill  population,  in  place  of  the  abominable  ardent  spi- 
rits so  lamentably  prevalent  elsewhere. 

I walked  over  these  flourishing  establishments,  I can  ho- 
nestly say,  without  any  admixture  of  jealousy;  though,  had 
I thought  the  success  of  Lowell  likely  to  prove  seriously  de- 
trimental to  Manchester  or  Preston,  I am  not  such  a furious 
citizen  of  the  world,  or  itinerant  philanthropist,  as  to  have 
viewed  its  progress  with  unmixed  pleasure.  But  I had  no 
such  fears.  These  industrious  people,  it  must  be  recollect- 
ed, are  manufacturing  for  their  own  home  markets;  and  I 
imagine  a very  large  proportion  of  the  English  manufactures 
are  likewise  made  for  home  consumption.  At  all  events, 
there  is  room  enough  for  us  both.  Agriculture  is  now,  and 
must  continue  for  many  years  to  come,  the  most  productive 
method  of  employing  capital  in  America.  And  this  is  not 
the  less  true  because,  here  and  there,  individual  activity, 
and  the  powerful  momentum  of  capital,  avail  themselves  of 
some  accident,  such  as  that  of  the  late  war,  or  take  advan- 
tage of  some  favourable  natural  position,  and,  by  pressing 


UNITED  STATES. 


289 


the  powers  of  nature  into  their  service,  at  the  right  period 
of  time,  overcome  many  difficulties  which  would  arrest  the 
progress  of  ordinary  men  possessed  of  ordinary  means.  But 
unless  those  general  principles  which  in  spite  of  all  legisla- 
tion, regulate  commerce,  manufactures,  and  every  other 
species  of  money-making,  be  really  attended  to  in  these 
matters,  no  such  speculations  can  succeed  in  the  long  run. 

The  cheapness  of  labour,  the  facility  of  getting  money, 
and,  above  all,  the  low  rate  of  profits  with  which  manu- 
facturing industry  is  content  to  be  rewarded  in  England, 
compared  with  the  high  wages,  the  large  profits,  and  the 
comparative  small  amount  of  capital  in  America,  must,  pro- 
bably, for  a time,  give  to  the  British  manufacturer  the  powep 
of  competing  successfully  in  foreign  markets  with  the  Ameri- 
cans. And  as  to  what  shall  take  place  in  their  own  markets, 
I have  not  the  least  doubt  that  adjustments  will  ere  long  be 
made  which  a thousand  Tariffs  could  not  materially  inter- 
fere with. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

After  breakfast,  on  the  13th  of  October,  1827,  we  left 
Lowell,  and  shaped  our  course  across  the  country  to  Salem, 
a town  on  the  sea-coast,  14  miles  from  Boston,  in  a North- 
Easterly  direction,  long  well  known  to  the  commercial 
world  as  one  of  the  most  enterprising  ports  in  America,  and 
the  first,  I believe,  to  bring  into  notice  the  advantages  of  the 
trade  to  China,  India,  and  the  Eastern  islands.  So  much, 
indeed,  if  I am  rightly  informed,  had  these  spirited  New 
Englanders  of  Salem  taken  the  start  of  the  rest  of  their 
countrymen,  that  for  many  years  they  were  the  great  sup- 
pliers of  tea,  spices,  and  other  India  goods,  even  to  New 
York,  now  the  maritime  mistress  of  the  Western  world.  It 
is  most  interesting,  however  to,  observe,  that  although  that 
channel,  and  indeed  every  other,  is  choked  up  by  competi- 
tors, still  the  ships  of  Salem  contrive  to  maintain  some  por- 
tion of  their  ancient  ascendency  by  dint  of  their  unbroken 
energy  and  perseverance,  qualities  which  as  yet,  it  is  said, 
are  undazzled  by  the  glitter  of  those  new  and  less  substan- 
tial promises  of  gain,  by  which  so  many  of  their  country- 
men elsewhere  have  been  led  astray. 

At  a country  inn,  bearing  the  English  name  of  Andover, 
close  to  the  Indian  river  Shawsheen,  I observed  the  follow- 
ing printed  bill  stuck  up  in  the  bar:*— 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


39  0 

SPORTSMEN,  ATTEND ! 

300  FOWLS 

Will  be  set  up  for  Sportsmen  at  the  Subscriber’s 
Hotel,  in  Tewksbury,  on 

Friday,  the  12th  October,  instant,  at  8 o’clock,  A.  M. 

dj*  Gentlemen  of  Tewksbury  Lowell,  and  the  vicinity  ere  invited  to 
attend. 

Oct.  10th,  1827.  William  Hardy. 

This  placard,  which  was  utterly  unintelligible  to  me,  will,  I 
dare  say,  be  not  less  so  to  most  people  on  this  side  of  the  water. 

The  landlord  laughed  at  my  curiosity,  but  good  humour- 
ediy  enlightened  my  ignorance  by  explaining  that  these 
shooting  matches  were  so  common  in  America,  that  he  had 
no  doubt  I would  fall  in  with  them  often.  I never  had  this 
good  fortune,  however;  and  I regretted  very  much  having 
passed  only  one  day  too  late  for  this  transatlantic  battu.  It 
appears  that  these  birds  are  literally  barn-door  fowls,  placed 
at  certain  distances,  and  fired  at  by  any  one  who  chooses  to 
pay  the  allotted  sum  for  a shot.  If  he  kills  the  bird,  he  is 
allowed  to  carry  it  off,  otherwise,  like  a true  sportsman,  he 
has  the  amusement  for  his  money.  Cocks  and  hens,  being 
small  birds,  are  placed  at  the  distance  of  165  feet;  and  for 
every  shot  with  ball,  the  sportsmen  has  to  pay  four  cents, 
or  about  twopence.  Turkeys  are  placed  at  twice  the  dis- 
tance, or  110  yards,  if  a common  musket  be  used;  but  at 
165  yards,  if  the  weapon  be  a rifle.  In  both  these  cases, 
the  price,  per  shot,  is  from  six  to  ten  cents,  or  from  three- 
pence to  five-pence. 

We  reached  the  town  of  Salem  in  good  time  for  dinner: 
and  here  I feel  half  tempted  to  break  through  my  rule,  in 
in  order  to  give  some  account  of  our  dinner  party;  chiefly, 
indeed,  that  I might  have  an  opportunity  of  expatiating — 
which  I could  do  with  perfect  truth  and  great  pleasure — on 
the  conversation  of  our  excellent  host.  For  I have  rarely, 
in  any  country,  met  a man  so  devoid  of  prejudice,  or  so 
willing  to  take  all  matters  on  their  favourable  side;  and 
withal,  who  was  so  well  informed  about  every  thing  in  his 
own  and  in  other  countries,  or  who  was  more  ready  to  im- 
part his  knowledge  to  others. 

To  these  agreeable  attributes  and  conversational  powers, 
he  adds  such  a mirthfulness  of  fancy,  and  genuine  hearti- 
ness of  good-humour,  to  all  men,  women,  and  children,  who 
have  the  good  fortune  to  make  his  acquaintance,  that  I 
should  have  no  scruple — if  it  were  not  too  great  a liberty — 
in  naming  him  as  the  person  I have  been  most  pleased  with 
in  all  my  recent  travels. 

After  dinner,  we  repaired  to  the  Museum,  the  rich  trea- 
sures of  which  have  been  collected  exclusively  by  captains. 


UNITES  STATES. 


291 


Or  supercargoes  of  vessels  out  of  Salem,  who  had  doubled 
one  or  other  of  the  great  southern  promontories — the  Cape, 
and  the  Horn  as  they  are  technically  called  by  seamen.  As 
my  eye  fell  on  numberless  carefully  cherished  objects,  which 
I had  often  seen  in  familiar  use  on  the  other  side  of  the 
globe,  my  imagination  revelled  far  and  wide  into  regions  I 
may  never  live  to  see  again ! 

It  was  quite  dark  before  we  got  back  to  Boston,  where 
next  day  we  recommenced  our  round  of  sight-seeing,  which 
we  pursued  with  such  industry,  that  in  the  course  of  a week, 
hardly  a single  institution  was  left  unvisited.  Rope-works 
* — printing-offices — houses  of  correction — prisons — hospitals 
* — penitentiaries — schools — alms-houses — Navy  and  building- 
yards,  passed  in  quick,  but  not  in  careless  review  before  us. 
All  that  our  friends  desired  us  to  see,  we  made  a point  of 
seeing.  It  mattered  not  what  it  was  we  wished  to  examine; 
scarcely  was  the  wish  expressed,  when  immediately  some 
one  left  his  business  at  a minute’s  warning  to  become  our 
zealous  and  useful  guide.  All  this  busy  intercourse  brought 
us  into  very  pleasing  habits  of  acquaintance  with  the  good 
citizens  of  Boston,  with  whose  manners,  appearance,  and 
style  altogether,  we  were  much  taken. 

In  the  Navy  yard  we  saw  two  line-of-battle  ships,  one  fri- 
gate, and  one  sloop  of  war,  on  the  stocks;  all  ready  to  be 
put  into  the  water  at  a month  or  six  weeks’  notice.  The 
frames  of  these  fine  ships  were  of  live  oak,  as  well  as  the 
keels,  transoms,  and  other  essential  large  timbers,  including 
the  beams  before  and  abaft  the  masts;  the  rest  was  white 
oak.  The  line-of-battle  ships  were  about  the  size  of  His 
Majesty’s  ship  Ganges,  but  without  poops.  A dry  dock, 
which,  when  completed,  is  to  be  210  feet  long,  is  in  pro  = 
gress,  under  the  management  of  a skilful  engineer  whom  I 
had  the  satisfaction  of  meeting  on  the  spot.  With  that  ab- 
sence of  all  idle  concealments  which  I found  every  where 
in  America,  this  gentleman  produced  his  plans  before  me, 
and  we  discussed  together  the  pros  and  cons  of  such  mat- 
ters  as  if  the  whole  were  merely  an  abstract  question  of  scien- 
tific engineering,— -to  the  entire  oblivion  of  national  rivalries. 
Nothing,  certainly,  is  more  agreeable  than  such  confidence. 

While  we  were  chatting  away  in  this  familiar  style,  we 
were  joined  by  the  naval  officer  in  command  of  the  Sta- 
tion, an  old  and  valued  friend  of  mine,  with  whom  I had 
formed  an  acquaintance  in  other  countries,  such  as  no  cir- 
cumstances of  peace,  or  war,  I trust,  will  ever  diminish. 

The  naval  officers  of  America  form,  necessarily,  as  it  al- 
ways appeared  to  me,  a class  somewhat  more  distinct  than 
any  other  from  the  rest  of  the  community;  tor  they  are  the 


£92 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


only  persons  in  the  country  whose  whole  lives  are  passed  in 
permanent  habits  of  subordination.  In  fact,  they  are  almost 
the  only  men  by  whom  the  practical  value  of  those  inequali- 
ties in  rank,  which  the  rest  of  the  American  world  deride, 
are  admitted  to  be  important.  Every  one,  I suppose,  is 
aware,  that  a ship  of  war  whose  discipline  is  not  strict,  es- 
pecially in  those  branches  of  it  which  consist  in  keeping  up 
strong  lines  of  distinction  amongst  the  officers,  must,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  be  worse  than  useless;  for,  instead  of 
being  able  to  do  the  country  honour,  she  cannot  fail  to  bring 
it  into  disgrace,  at  moments  of  trial.  Of  the  truth  of  these 
principles  all  parties  in  America  are  so  well  aware,  that  any 
tampering  with  naval  discipline,  whatever  may  done  in  the 
army,  has  not  seen  seriously  thought  of;  consequently,  a 
very  rigid  system— -probably  not  too  rigid,  but  still  a very 
strict  system — continues  to  be  observed  in  their  ships  of 
war.  The  effect  even  of  this,  indeed,  would  be  inconside- 
rable upon  persons  exposed  to  it  only  for  a time;  but  when  ap- 
plied to  the  whole  life,  it  must  of  necessity  give  a distinguish- 
ing character  to  the  whole  class  subjected  to  its  influence. 

I have  reason,  indeed,  to  believe,  from  what  I saw  and 
heard,  that  the  American  discipline,  especially  as  applied  to 
officers,  is  more  stern  than  in  the  British  navy,  and  for  a 
reason  which,  I think,  will  be  admitted  the  instant  it  is  sta- 
ted. With  us,  the  supply  of  officers  come  from  a society 
not  only  familiar  with  the  theory  of  ranks,  if  I may  say  so, 
but  practically  acquainted  with  those  artificial  distinctions 
in  authority,  the  acknowledgment  of  which  forms  the  very 
life  and  soul  of  a fleet.  Consequently,  whether  it  be  at  first 
starting,  or  in  after  years  of  professional  life,  naval  officers 
with  us  meet  with  nothing,  in  their  intercourse  with  general 
society  on  shore,  to  weaken  the  habit  of  subordination 
taught  on  board  ship.  The  details  of  obedience  may  be  dif- 
ferent afloat  and  on  shore — just  as  the  duties  are  essentially 
different- — but  the  principle  of  paying  respect  to  the  dis- 
tinctions of  rank,  without  any  attendent  feeling  of  degrada- 
tion, is  thus  quite  easily  kept  up  amongst  the  English  offi- 
cers, at  all  times  and  seasons,  whether  they  be  on  the  wa- 
ter on  or  land.  But  a young  American  officer,  when  he  comes 
on  shore  to  visit  his  friends,  and  goes  to  the  back  woods,  or 
front  woods,  or  any  where,  indeed,  will  hear  more  in  one 
day  to  interfere  with  his  lessons  of  dutiful  subordination,  than 
he  may  be  able  to  recover  in  a year  of  sea  service.  Un- 
less, therefore,  the  system  of  discipline  on  board  be  not  only 
very  strict,  but  of  such  a nature  as  to  admit  of  no  escape  from 
its  rules,  the  whole  machinery  would  fall  to  pieces.  Demo- 
cracy, in  short,  with  its  sturdy  equality,  will  hardly  do  afloat. 


UNITED  STATES. 


293 


I heard  a story  at  Washington,  which  is  in  point  to  this 
argument.  A midshipman  of  an  American  ship-of-war, 
having  offended  in  some  way  or  other  against  the  rules  of  the 
service,  fell,  of  course,  under  his  captain’s  displeasure,  and 
was  reprimanded  accordingly.  The  youth,  however,  not 
liking  this  exercise  of  authority,  announced  his  intention  of 
4 appealing  to  the  people;’  which  determination  was  forthwith 
reported  to  head-quarters.  By  return  of  post,  an  order  came 
down  to  say,  that  Mr.  So-and-So,  being  the  citizen  of  a free 
state,  had  a perfect  right  to  appeal  to  the  people;  and  in  or- 
der to  enable  him  to  proceed  in  this  matter  without  official, 
entanglement,  his  discharge  from  the  navy  was  enclosed. 

Great  care  is  taken  in  the  selection  of  persons  wishing  to 
enter  the  navy;  and  these  gentlemen  are  also  exposed,  after- 
wards, to  frequent  and  rigorous  examinations:  by  which  means 
incompetent  persons  are  excluded.  Be  the  causes,  however, 
as  they  may,  I can  only  state,  that  the  American  naval  officers 
are  pleasant  persons  to  associate  with;  and  I reflect  with 
great  pleasure  on  the  many  professional  acquaintances  I was 
fortunate  enough  to  make  in  that  and  other  countries.  I also 
look  forward  with  equal  confidence  to  meeting  them  again; 
being  well  assured,  that  whatever  the  nature  of  our  inter- 
course may  be — as  national  foes  or  as  national  allies,  or  mere- 
ly as  private  friends — I shall  have  thorough-bred  officers  and 
gentlemen  to  co-operate  or  contend  with. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  I drove  with  a most  obliging  and 
intelligent  friend  to  the  village  of  Brighton,  within  a mile  or 
two  of  Boston,  where  the  great  annual  cattle  show  of  the 
state  of  Massachusetts  is  held.  This  fair,  as  it  may  be  called, 
was  established  some  years  ago  by  the  people  of  Boston,  while 
the  farmers  of  the  state,  from  far,  and  near,  sent  their  cattle, 
fruit,  home  manufactures,  newly  invented  agricultural  im- 
plements, and  any  thing  else  they  wished  to  show  off,  to  this 
grand  exhibition.  In  process  of  a very  short  time,  however, 
the  country  folks  became  jealous  of  Brighton;  and  each  coun- 
ty or  town  got  up  its  own  little  independent  cattle  show, — 
like  colonies  deserting  the  parent  firm,  and  setting  up  shop 
for  themselves!  But  there  was  still  enough  left  of  the  ori- 
ginal show  to  interest  a stranger.  Besides  a ploughing  match 
with  20  teams  of  oxen,  there  were  various  trials  of  strength, 
by  cattle  drawing  loaded  carts  up  a steep  hill.  The  nume- 
rous pens  where  the  bullocks  and  sheep  were  enclosed,  af- 
forded also  a high  treat,  from  the  variety  of  the  breeds,  and 
the  high  condition,  of  the  animals  exposed.  And  lastly,  we 
were  shown  the  rooms  in  which  the  specimens  of  domestic 
manufactures  were  displayed:  most  of  these  goods,  which 

Yol.  i.  26 


294 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


appeared  excellent  in  quality,  gave  indication  of  native  in- 
dustry, well  worthy  of  encouragement. 

In  spite  of  all  these  objects  of  interest,  I felt  ill  at  ease, 
and  though  the  expression  be  a strong  one,  it  is  not  too  strongl 
when  I say  that  I was  struck  to  the  heart,  with  what  seemed 
to  me  the  cruel  spectacle  of  such  a numerous  assemblage  of 
people,  on  such  a fine  sunny  day,  in  as  pretty  a little  valley 
as  ever  was  seen,  close  to  a romantic  village,  and  within  four 
miles  of  a great  and  populous  city  like  Boston,  and  yet  amidst 
all  this  crowd  there  were  no  women ! Literally  and  truly, 
amongst  several  thousand  persons,  I counted,  during  the 
whole  day,  only  nine  females!  I wandered  round  and  round 
the  grassy  knolls,  in  search  of  some  signs  of  life  and  merri- 
ment,— some  of  those  joyous  bursts  of  mirth  which  I had 
been  wont  to  hear  in  other  lands  on  similar  occasions.  But 
my  eye  could  discover  nothing  to  rest  upon  but  groups  of 
idle  men,  smoking  segars,  and  gaping  about,  with  their  hands 
in  their  pockets,  or  looking  listlessly  at  the  penned  up  cattle, 
or  following  one  another  in  quiet,  orderly  crowds,  up  the 
hill,  after  the  loaded  carts  I spoke  of,  glad,  apparently,  of 
the  smallest  excitement  to  carry  them  out  of  themselves.  But 
not  a woman  was  i;o  be  seen.  Neither  were  there  any  groups 
of  lads  and  lasses  romping  on  the  grass; — no  parties  of  noisy 
youths  playing  at  football  for  the  amusement  of  the  village 
maidens;— -no  scampering  and  screaming  of  the  children 
amongst  the  trees;  for  alas!  the  little  things  appeared  nearly 
as  solemn  and  soberly  disposed  as  their  elders. 

But  in  all  the  numerous  booths  placed  over  the  ground, 
parties  were  hard  at  work  with  the  whiskey  or  gin  bottle.  In 
some  companies  of  ten  or  a dozen  people  might  be  seen  work- 
ing away  at  hot  joints  and  meat  pies — all  very  ordinary  sights, 
I grant,  at  a fair  in  any  country;  but  the  peculiarity  which 
struck  me  was  the  absence  of  talking,  or  laughing,  or  any  hi- 
larity of  look  or  gesture.  I never  beheld  any  thing  in  my 
whole  life,  though  I have  been  at  many  funerals,  nearly  so 
ponderous  or  so  melancholy  as  this  gloomy,  lumbering,  weary 
sort  of  merry-making.  I felt  my  spirits  crushed  down,  and 
as  it  were  humiliated,  when,  suddenly,  the  sound  of  a fiddle 
struck  my  ear,  literally  the  very  first  notes  of  music  I had 
heard,  out  of  a drawing-room,  in  the  whole  country.  Of 
course  I ran  instantly  to  the  spot,  and  what  was  there? — four 
men  dancing  a reel ! 

I spoke  to  several  gentlemen  on  the  field  about  this  strange, 
and  to  European  eyes,  most  unwonted  separation  of  the  sexes. 
But  I got  little  else  than  ridicule  for  my  pains.  Some  of  my 
friends  smiled,  some  laughed,  and  one  gentleman  in  reply 


UNITED  STATES. 


295 


to  my  expressions  of  surprise  that  females  should  be  excluded 
from  a scene  every  way  innocent  and  suitable  to  them,  ex- 
claimed, “ Ah,  sir,  this  question  of  yours  only  adds  another 
example  of  the  impossibility  of  making  any  stranger  under- 
stand our  manners.55 

This  may  or  may  not  be  true;  but  a stranger  has  eyes  and 
can  see;  and  long  before  this  holiday,  I had  been  struck  in 
every  part  of  the  country  through  which  I had  passed,  with 
this  strong  line  of  demarcation  between  the  sexes.  At  Stock 
bridge,  it  is  true,  a considerable  number  of  women  were  pre- 
sent at  the  oration;  but  they  were  carefully  placed  on  one 
side  of  the  church,  and  during  the  whole  day  there  was  no 
more  intercourse  between  them  and  the  men,  than  if  they 
had  belonged  to  different  races.  At  this  cattle  show  at 
Brighton,  however,  the  exclusion  was  still  more  complete, 
for  not  even  one  female  entered  the  church,  though  an  agri- 
cultural discourse  was  there  delivered,  which  the  most  deli- 
cate-minded person  on  earth  might  have  listened  to  with 
pleasure  and  advantage. 

These,  and  a great  number  of  other  circumstances— some 
minute,  some  important,  but  all  tending  the  same  way,  and 
varied  in  every  possible  shape,  and  conspicuous  in  all  parts 
of  the  country— naturally  claimed  my  attention  irresistibly  as 
something  very  unusual,  and  well  deserving  of  a stranger’s  no- 
tice. I lost  no  fair  opportunity,  therefore,  of  conversing  with 
intelligent  persons  on  the  subject,  being  naturally  anxious  to 
reach  some  explanation  of  so  remarkable  a distinction  between 
America  and  any  other  Christian  country  I was  acquainted 
with.  The  result  of  all  my  observations  and  inquiries  is, 
that  the  women  do  not  enjoy  that  station  in  society  which  has 
been  allotted  to  them  elsewhere;  and  consequently  much  of 
that  important  and  habitual  influence  which,  from  the  pecu- 
liarity of  their  nature,  they  alone  can  exercise  over  society 
In  more  fortunately  arranged  communities,  seems  to  be  lost. 

In  touching  upon  so  delicate  a subject,  it  is  right  to  state 
at  once,  and  in  the  most  explicit  terms,  that  I never  had,  for 
one  instant,  the  least  reason  to  suppose  that  there  was  any 
wish  on  the  part  of  the  men  to  depress  the  other  sex,  or  in- 
deed any  distinct  knowledge  of  the  fact.  On  the  contrary, 
I conscientiously  believe  that  there  exists  universally  among 
the  men  a sincere  and  strong  desire,  not  only  to  raise  women 
up,  but  to  maintain  them  on  the  fairest  level  with  themselves. 
But  I conceive  that  the  political  and  moral  circumstances 
now  in  full  action  in  America,  are  too  strong  to  be  counter- 
balanced even  by  these  laudable  endeavours. 

In  that  country,  it  must  bo  observed,  every  man,  without 


29  G 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


exception,  has  not  only  a direct  share  in  the  administration 
of  public  affairs,  but  he  is  put  in  mind,  almost  every  hour  of 
his  life,  of  the  necessity  of  exercising  this  privilege.  He  is 
called  upon  at  one  time  to  choose  representatives  to  congress, 
or  for  his  own  state,  or  to  nominate  the  electors  for  the  office 
of  president,  or  to  elect  a governor,  or  an  alderman;  or  he 
may  himself  be  called  to  fill  any  one  of  these  stations.  In 
every  part  of  the  country,  at  all  times  and  seasons,  therefore, 
the  men  are  more  or  less  actively  engaged  with  some  election  ; 
and  this  propensity  to  canvass  and  be  canvassed,  or  to  attend, 
in  some  shape  or  other,  to  the  complicated  machinery  of  re- 
presentation is  generally  admitted  by  the  Americans  them- 
selves to  form  one  of  their  most  important  occupations.  I 
have  been  often  told,  and  can  well  believe,  that  the  closest 
attention,  and  a great  deal  of  personal  devotion  of  time,  is 
required  in  order  to  understand  the  operation  of  this  exten- 
sive system  well  enough  to  be  able,  effectually,  to  influence 
the  returns.  This  arises,  in  a great  measure,  from  the  im- 
mense number  of  persons  interested,  or  who,  whether  into- 
rested  or  not,  have  a right  to  interfere.  Consequently,  any 
partial  or  qualified  degree  of  vigilance  is  quite  useless,  and 
electioneering,  in  order  to  be  successful,  must  be  made  a busi- 
ness of. 

When  to  these  engrossing  and  highly  exciting  objects  of 
attention,  we  superadd  the  endless  litigation  into  which  all 
mankind  are  led  in  that  country,  by  what  is  called  cheap 
justice,  in  other  words  the  facility  of  going  to  lawr;  together 
with  the  care  with  which,  as  a matter  of  necessity,  the  head 
of  a family  must  attend  to  its  pecuniary  interests,  we  can 
easily  conceive  that  a very  small  portion  only  of  his  time  can 
be  devoted  to  the  domestic  fireside,  however  sociably  disposed 
he  may  be  by  nature. 

Now,  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  the  women,  who  of  course 
do  not  personally  interfere  in  any  of  these  matters,  can  be 
made  to  understand  sufficiently  what  is  going  on  out  of  doors, 
to  take  a continued  interest  in  these  things,  much  less  to  use 
any  decided,  or  steady  feminine  influence  upon  them. 

I have  repeatedly  heard  gentlemen,  who  had  given  most  of 
their  time  to  public  matters,  declare  that  they  could  not  com- 
prehend the  complicated  politics  even  of  their  own  state. 
This  arose,  they  told  me,  from  these  matters  being  so  entire- 
ly made  up  of  intrigues  and  counter  intrigues,  each  of  which 
involved  an  endless  round  of  elections,  the  bearing  of  which 
upon  the  main  point,  (generally  the  presidential  question,) 
none  but  the  most  initiated  even  amongst  the  men  could  ever 
pretend  to  understand  fully.  Whatever  be  the  causes,  htfw- 


UNITED  STATES. 


297 


eve r,  the  fact  I think  is  indubitable,  that  they  are  almost  ex- 
clusively engrossed  abroad  by  occupations  which  the  women 
cannot  possibly  comprehend!  while  the  women,  for  their  part, 
are  quite  as  exclusively  engaged  at  home,  with  business  equal  - 
ly essential  and  engrossing,  but  with  which  the  men  do  not 
meddle  in  any  way. 

There  is  also  another  cause,  which  although  it  may  appear 
trivial  to  people  who  have  not  been  exposed  to  its  influence,, 
has,  I have  no  doubt,  a considerable  share  in  bringing  about 
the  state  of  things  to  which  I now  advert.  I mean  the  in- 
creased household  duties  inevitably  imposed  upon  the  mistress 
of  a family  by  the  total  want  of  good  servants  in  America. 
This  is  an  evil  which  no  fortune  can  remedy.  Good  nurses, 
men  servants,  cooks,  or  any  description  of  female  attendants, 
are  rarely  to  be  found;  and,  if  found,  no  money  will  bribe 
them  to  stay  long  in  a house,  or  to  behave  respectfully  when 
there.  Thus  the  whole  system  of  domestic  service  is  deplo- 
rable, and  the  cause  of  more  misery  than  I can  describe, 
without  going  into  particulars  which  I am  very  unwilling  to 
dwell  upon. 

All  these  things,  and  various  others,  some  great,  some 
small,  have  a tendency  to  give  to  the  men  and  the  women  of 
America  such  different  classes  of  occupations,  that  they  sel- 
dom act  together;  and  this  naturally  prevents  the  growth  of 
that  intimate  companionship,  which  nothing  can  establish  but 
the  habitual  interchange  of  opinions  and  sentiments  upon  to- 
pics of  common  employment. 

In  England,  a state  of  circumstances  entirely  dissimilar, 
has  produced,  as  might  be  supposed,  very  different  effects; 
and  I allude  to  these,  not,  I beg  to  assure  my  American 
friends,  for  the  sake  of  offensive  comparisons,  but  simply  for 
the  purpose  of  describing  more  clearly  what  I conceive  to  be 
one  of  the  most  striking,  and,  I believe,  inevitable  peculia- 
rities of  American  society,  as  contradistinguished  from  that 
of  Europe. 

All  over  America,  I admit  fully,  and  with  the  greatest 
pleasure,  the  women  are  treated  with  much  kindness  by  the 
men.  I never  saw  or  heard  of  any  rudeness,  or  had  any 
reason  to  suspect  that  incivility  towards  females  was  ever 
practised,  or  would  be  tolerated,  even  in  those  parts  of  the 
country  which  have  enjoyed  the  least  advantages  in  the  way 
of  civilization  and  refinement.  But  this  kindness  and  at- 
tention are  quite  compatible  with  the  absence  of  that  habi- 
tual and  mutual  understanding  which  I conceive  exists  al- 
most universally  in  England,  but  which  it  would  be  impos. 


298 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


sibie  to  establish  in  America,  so  long  as  the  political  condi- 
tion of  society  preserves  its  present  form. 

In  England  no  fair,  no  place  of  public  amusement,  no 
election,  no  court  of  justice,  no  place,  in  short,  public  or 
private,  is  ever  thought  complete  without  a certain,  and  most 
influential  proportion  of  female  interest  being  mixed  with  its 
duties  or  its  pleasures.  No  farmer,  any  more  than  a noble- 
man, is  satisfied  to  enjoy  what  is  to  be  seen,  without  the  par- 
ticipation of  his  family.  No  pleasure  is  ever  thought  worth 
enjoying  except  in  female  company.  Such  is  the  universal 
fashion,  or  long-established  custom,  call  it  what  you  will, 
which  has  transmitted  to  modern  manners  much  of  the  grace 
and  dignity  of  chivalry,  without  its  extravagance. 

But  I dwell  far  less  upon  what  strikes  the  eye,  than  upon 
those  deeper  and  more  important  influences  which  spring 
from  this  intimacy  of  habits,  and  of  which  these  outward 
signs  are  merely  the  types  and  shadows. 

The  virtual  control  which  women  in  England  exercise 
over  the  conduct  of  the  men,  extends  to  every  thing  public 
as  well  as  domestic;  and  without,  at  present  stopping  to  in- 
quire how  it  has  been  brought  about,  I believe  it  will  gene- 
rally be  admitted,  that  no  man  can  hope,  by  dint  of  talents, 
or  power,  however  high,  to  escape  from  that  uncompromising 
scrutiny,  which  lets  nothing;  pass  unobserved,  and  forgives 
nothing  which  is  found  to  be  wrong.  The  judgment  of  the 
women,  as  a body,  is  rarely  if  ever  wrong — their  feelings 
and  their  principles,  never, — which  certainly  cannot  be  said 
for  those  of  the  men.  The  effect,  in  practice,  is  this:  Every 
person,  whatever  be  his  profession,  his  fortune,  or  his  rank, 
is  made  sensible,  sooner  or  later  in  the  course  of  his  pro- 
gress through  life,  that  he  has  no  chance  of  earning  the  good- 
will of  the  society  in  which  he  moves,  if  he  fail  to  carry  with 
him  the  sympathy  of  the  female  portion  of  the  class  to  which 
he  belongs.  It  is  of  no  consequence  how  splendid  his  abili- 
ties may  be,  or  how  extensive  his  knowledge,  or  recommen- 
dations in  other  respects;  so  long  as  he  is  ill  received  by  the 
other  sex,  he  is  made  to  feel  that  he  has  gained  nothing. 
Now,  as  this  is  universally  the  case,  pervading  in  a greater 
or  less  degree  every  class  of  society,  as  a fixed,  inherent 
principle  in  its  structure;  and  as  the  women  are  thus,  by  ta- 
cit consent,  vested  in  a great  measure  with  the  real  power  of 
rewarding  or  of  punishing  desert,  and  with  the  actual  distri- 
bution of  public  opinion;  it  becomes  the  obvious  interest  of 
every  virtuous  man  to  render  those  persons  who  are  to  be 
the  judges  of  his  claims,  as  competent  as  possible  to  do  him 
justice. 


UNITED  STATES. 


299 


In  this  view,  it  is  an  object,  not  of  mere  theory  and  spe- 
culative benefit  to  society,  but  of  practical  importance  to 
every  one,  and,  above  all,  to  the  highly  gifted  and  ambitious, 
to  elevate  the  understanding,  and  improve  every  discrimina- 
ting faculty  of  the  mind  and  heart,  of  the  opposite  sex.  I 
do  not,  of  course,  say  that  these  feelings  are  present  to  all 
people’s  thoughts,  or  that  men  set  systematically  about  rais- 
ing the  standard  of  female  excellence  with  any  such  express 
view;  but  I have  no  doubt  that  these  principles  and  motives 
do  really  form  the  mainsprings  of  this  undoubted  and  uni- 
versal action.  That  the  husbands,  brothers,  and  fathers  of 
the  English  community  do,  in  fact,  exert  themselves  serious- 
ly to  bring  about  the  end  alluded  to,  is  most  certain;  the 
whole  texture  of  society  shows  the  extent  of  female  influ- 
ence, and  we  all  know  that  the  result  is  eminently  powerful 
in  its  re-action  upon  the  men,  in  every  walk  of  life. 

But  such  important  influences  as  these  can  exist  only 
where  all  things  have  had  time  to  settle  into  their  proper 
places,  and  where  a thousand  minor  causes,  many  of  them 
unseen  and  unsuspected,  conspire  to  lend  their  assistance  to 
the  establishment  of  such  general  and  permanent  checks  to 
vice  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  bounties  to  virtue  on  the  other; 
to  say  nothing  of  the  boundless  range  of  innocent  enjoy- 
ments, and  elevated  views,  as  well  as  feelings,  which  can 
take  their  rise  only  in  a system  of  manners  thus  chastened 
and  regulated. 

I shall  only  add,  that  I met  with  several  instructive  cor- 
roborations of  these  views,  in  the  correspondent  sentiments 
excited  in  the  minds  of  some  American  travellers,  who  de- 
scribed to  me  their  surprise  on  going  to  England,  where  no- 
thing struck  them  so  much,  they  assured  me,  as  the  different 
degree  of  power  which  the  English  ladies  appeared  to  hold 
over  society,  compared  to  that  exercised  by  those  of  their 
own  country. 

I have  been  told  a hundred  times  that  comparisons  ought 
not  to  be  made  between  so  old  a country  as  England,  and  so 
new  a country  as  America;  but  I confess  I never  yet  heard 
a single  good  reason  why  such  comparisons  should  not  be 
drawn,  if  the  purposes  of  illustration  were  served  thereby. 
If  any  thing  offensive  is  aimed  at  by  the  comparison,  or  if 
the  object  be  to  raise  one  country,  invidiously  at  the  expense 
of  the  other,  it  is  a very  different  affair,  and  then,  certainly, 
comparisons  are  odious.  But  I cannot  understand  why  any 
one,  writing  for  the  information  of  his  own  countrymen, 
should  not  make  use  of  those  resemblances  or  contrasts  which 
strike  his  eye  as  existing  between  circumstances  with  which 


300 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


his  readers  are  familiar,  and  those  with  which  they  are  not 
acquainted,  and  are  never  likely  to  see.  His  object  should 
be — at  least  my  object  has  been — to  describe,  not  how  things 
might,  could,  or  should  be,  but  truly  how  they  are;  or,  to 
speak  in  language  still  more  critically  correct,  what  they 
seem  to  my  eyes. 

Now,  if  it  shall  appear  that  the  most  faithful  way  of  doing 
this  consists  in  drawing  comparisons,  why  on  earth  should  I 
Hot  draw  them  ? What  is  it  that  every  other  mortal  is  doing 
every  hour  of  his  life,  when  he  wishes  to  illustrate  his  mean- 
ing to  those  he  is  conversing  with,  by  reference  to  circum- 
stances familiar  to  his  auditors?  And  why  should  a travel- 
ler in  an  unknown  country  like  America,  be  debarred  of  this 
common  privilege  ? Because,  forsooth ! that  country  is  young, 
and  we  are  old!  Why,  this,  independently  of  all  purposes 
of  mere  description,  seems  one  of  the  strongest  reasons  pos- 
sible for  instituting  these  comparisons,  if  we  wish  to  see 
whether  any,  and  what  advances  have  been  made. 

But  there  seems  a fair  enough  argument,  if  so  it  can  be 
called,  in  answer  to  objections  on  the  score  of  national  pa- 
rallels-— furnished,  too,  by  the  very  parties  making  the  diffi- 
culty— I mean  the  Americans  themselves,  who,  if  we  are  to 
judge  from  their  own  writings  and  conversation,  are  almost 
as  fond  of  inviting  such  comparisons  as  if  they  had  really 
nothing  substantial  to  boast  of,  yet  hoped  to  make  us  think 
better  of  them,  by  thinking  worse  of  ourselves;  and  fancied 
that  every  thing  subtracted  from  Europe,  must,  as  a matter 
of  course,  be  added  to  America. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


At  nine  o’clock,  on  Saturday  the  20th  of  October,  1827, 
one  of  our  most  active  friends  called  to  take  us  round  some 
of  the  schools  of  Boston.  We  could  not  visit  them  all,  for 
a reason  which  will  be  obvious  enough  when  I state,  from  an 
official  document  in  my  possession — the  School  Report  of 
1826 — that  the  number  of  these  institutions  in  . this  single 
town  of  Boston  is  no  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifteen, 
though  the  population  is  somewhat  under  fifty  thousand! 
We  thought  we  did  pretty  well  in  visiting  three  out  of  this 
grand  army.  Two  of  these  were  for  the  instruction  of  boys, 
and  one  for  girls,  or  misses,  as  they  are  called,  in  contradis- 


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301 


ti nction  to  females,  which,  I observe,  is  the  term  applied  in 
the  Reports  to  the  girls  in  the  poorer  and  less  aristocratic  in- 
stitutions. With  all  the  outcry  against  ranks  and  classi- 
fications, no  opportunity,  I observed,  was  ever  omitted  of 
drawing  lines  of  distinction,  wherever  they  could  be  safely 
traced. 

In  many  of  the  states  of  America  much  attention  is  paid 
to  elementary  education,  and  in  Massachusetts,  in  particu- 
lar, a great  number  of  public  schools  are  maintained  by  a 
tax,  which  I believe  amounts  to  about  three  dollars  and  a 
half  upon  every  thousand  of  income.  Thus,  while  every 
person  has  a right  to  send  his  children  to  these  establish- 
ments, the  poor  get  this  description  of  education  almost  gra- 
tis. The  rich,  it  is  true,  may  also  do  the  same,  without  fur- 
ther payment.  But,  as  might  naturally  be  supposed,  most 
people,  who  can  afford  it  prefer  sending  their  children  to 
schools  which  they  select  for  themselves,  where  they  pay 
more  or  less  according  to  the  nature  of  the  tuition. 

The  Bostonians  are  very  proud,  and  perhaps  justly  so,  of 
this  system  of  public  instruction.  When  I ventured,  how- 
ever, to  insinuate  something  of  its  having  a charity  look 
about  it,  I was  answered,  that  education,  being  considered 
in  America  essential  to  the  maintenance  of  the  republican 
form  of  government,  it  deserved  to  be  made  a matter  of  na- 
tional establishment,  like  that  of  the  courts  of  law  or  the 
police,  the  benefits  of  which  are  common  to  all.  The  insti- 
tutions alluded  to,  and  many  others,  are  supported  essential- 
ly by  the  rich;  44  and  therefore,”  say  the  advocates  of  this 
system,  “there  is  no  more  degradation  in  a poor  man  having 
his  children  educated  at  the  expense  of  the  public,  than 
there  is  in  his  deriving  the  advantage  resulting  from  the  ad- 
ministration of  public  justice,  or  the  protection  of  his  per- 
son and  property,  on  the  same  terms  precisely.”  I confess 
this  looks  specious,  and  though  not  quite  satisfied,  I had  no 
very  good  answer  to  make.  The  obligation  incurred  by  the 
parents  who  have  their  children  thus  educated  almost  gratu- 
itously, brings  the  matter,  I think,  too  near  home — in  too 
tangible  and  eleemosynary  a shape — giving  them,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  rich,  advantages  which,  in  order  to  be  useful, 
ought  to  be  earned.  I may  be  wrong — and  probably  am  so; 
for  the  gentlemen  I conversed  with,  while  they  admit  the 
soundness  of  this  doctrine  in  theory,  assured  me  that  the 
poorer  people  who  benefit  by  the  tax,  do  not  feel  any  degra- 
dation in  profiting  thereby.  This,  by  the  way,  does  not  per- 
haps mend  the  matter  much;  for  it  is  not  always  those  who 
are  least  indebted  to  their  own  exertions,  who  feel  the  most 


302 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


scruple  in  being  aided  by  others.  And  I may  farther  ob- 
serve, that  this  remark  applies  with  particular  force  to  a 
community,  where  the  laws  regulating  the  distribution  of 
property  are  not  framed  by  those  who  have  the  greatest  pe- 
cuniary interest  at  stake. 

At  the  high-school  for  girls,  we  found  the  young  ladies 
working  away  at  Algebra  in  a surprising  style  of  rapidity. 
The  only  question  is,  whether  or  not  this  be  the  fittest  study 
for  misses?  They  next  exhibited  in  geography,  in  which 
also  they  seemed  to  be  very  proficient.  The  severest  task, 
however,  was  in  English  reading,  and  our  ears  detected  some 
instances  of  what  we  should  call  mispronunciation.  The 
schoolmaster,  who,  I suspect,  took  me  for  a brother  of  the 
cloth,  asked  me  to  give  my  opinion  as  to  the  young  ladies’ 
reading.  I tried  to  do  so  as  cautiously  as  might  be;  but  I 
found  it  hardly  possible  to  make  a critical  remark  without 
risk  of  giving  offence,  for  he  instantly  took  fire  whenever 
any  thing  was  objected  to.  I had,  indeed,  been  well  pre- 
pared for  this,  by  observing  that  every  where  in  the  country, 
however  earnestly  such  criticisms  were  solicited,  nothing 
but  unqualified  approbation  would  ever  satisfy  them. 

At  the  high-school  for  boys,  two  youths  were  called  out 
in  succession  to  spout  in  our  presence.  Poor  little  fellows ! 
they  took  us  for  their  own  country  people,  and  as  the  most 
grateful  theme  they  could  choose,  indulged  us  with  a cou- 
ple of  furious  philippics  against  England.  We  were  amused 
to  the  top  of  our  bent,  and  the  young  orators,  seeing  us  take 
more  than  common  interest  in  their  declamations,  elevated 
their  incipient  legislative  voices,  and  rose  into  high  energy 
when  any  thing  particularly  patriotic,  that  is  to  say,  cut- 
ting against  the  mother  country  was  let  fall.  “ Gratitude! 
gratitude  to  England!  What  does  America  owe  to  her? 
Such  gratitude  as  the  young  lion  owes  to  its  dam,  which 
brings  it  forth  on  the  desert  wilds,  and  leaves  it  to  perish 
there.  No!  we  owe  her  nothing!  For  eighteen  hundred 
years  the  world  had  slumbered  in  ignorance  of  liberty,  and 
of  the  true  rights  of  freemen.  At  length  America  arose  in 
all  her  glory,  to  give  the  world  the  long  desired  lesson!” 
&c.  &c.  &c. 

Both  our  companions  were  somewhat  disconcerted  by  this 
contretempts  of  the  lads;  but  I could  not  bring  myself  to 
pity  them  much.  What  business,  I may  ask,  have  persons 
who  affect  to  wish  that  the  two  countries  should  be  on  good 
terms,  to  adopt  in  their  seminaries  such  models  upon  which 
the  taste  of  the  rising  generation  is  to  be  formed,  when  all 
the  world  of  letters  is  before  them?  Or  what  title  have 


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303 


these  most  thin-skinned  of  all  people  to  abuse  the  English, 
without  intermission,  measure,  or  mercy,  for  an  occasional 
squib  against  them,  when  they  themselves  systematically 
teach  their  own  young  ideas  to  shoot  at  this  rate? 

These,  however,,  are  things  to  laugh  at — and  I turn  to  a 
more  important  branch  of  the  subject:-— I mean  the  general 
question  of  education  in  America.  Upon  this  I think,  that 
in  England,  as  well  as  in  America,  some  considerable  mis- 
takes prevail,  which  it  is  of  consequence  to  the  cause  of 
truth  to  rectify.  The  Americans  write  and  talk  so  much  of 
the  immense  extent  to  which  they  carry  the  education  of 
their  people,  that  one  is  apt  at  first  sight  to  suppose  that  a 
greater  step  is  made  in  the  celebrated  March  of  Intellect 
than  the  result  will  by  any  means  be  found  to  justify. 
There  certainly  is  in  that  country  a very  general  wish  to 
teach  the  elements  of  knowledge  to  the  rising  generation, 
of  all  classes,  so  that  hardly  any  one  is  growing  up  now-a 
days,  without  a competent  proficiency  in  reading  and  wri- 
ting. This  I grant  in  the  fullest  extent  for  which  the  ad- 
mission is  claimed  by  the  Americans  themselves.  But  still, 
I take  the  liberty  of  saying,  this  is  very  far  from  filling  up 
the  idea  which  we  attach  to  the  word  education  in  England, 
Those  persons  amongst  us  are  very  much  mistaken  who  are 
led  to  suppose,  that  because  there  are  a prodigious  number 
of  schools,  colleges,  and  universities,  in  America,  and  large 
sums  are  expended  by  the  different  state  governments  for 
education,  there  must  necessarily  be  diffused  a considerable 
amount  of  that  description  of  knowledge  usually  taught  in 
European  seminaries  of  the  same  nominal  pretensions.  I 
allude  now  more  particularly  to  classical  studies,  which  are, 
in  fact,  so  much  neglected  from  end  to  end  of  America,  that 
they  may  be  said  to  have  little  or  no  existence,  except  in  the 
prospectuses,  or  printed  courses  of  study,  nominally  re- 
quired at  the  above-mentioned  institutions. 

There  is  no  want  of  talent  in  the  country,  nor  of  ability  and 
honest  zeal  on  the  part  of  the  professors  and  other  teachers? 
but  my  inquiries  in  every  part  of  the  union  ended  invariably 
in  one  and  the  same  conclusion — -that  it  was  impossible,  by 
means  of  any  system  of  discipline,  by  fines,  by  punishments, 
by  the  stimulus  of  artificial  rewards,  by  parental  or  state  au- 
thority, to  keep  the  young  men  long  enough  at  those  esta- 
blishments, to  imbue  them  with  what  in  Europe  would  be 
called  a tolerable  portion  of  classical  knowledge;  or  even  to 
impart  to  them  much  taste  for  elegant  letters,  ancient  or  mo- 
dern; still  less,  of  course,  to  carry  them  into  the  regions  of 
any  abstract  science. 


304 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


The  reason  of  all  this  lies  so  completely  interwoven  with 
the  whole  texture  of  American  society,  that,  were  the  efforts 
of  those  public-spirited  persons,  who  struggle  so  manfully 
against  this  popular  torrent,  a thousandfold  more  strong  than 
they  are,  their  exertions  would  avail  little. 

Every  thing  in  America,  as  I believe  I have  before  men- 
tioned, appears  to  be  antedated — every  thing  and  every  body 
is  on  the  move — and  the  field  is  so  wide  and  so  fertile,  that  no 
man,  whatever  be  his  age,  if  he  possess  the  slightest  spark  of 
energy,  can  fail  to  reap  from  the  virgin  soil  an  adequate  har- 
vest. By  the  word  adequate,  I mean  a sufficient  return  for 
his  own  maintenance  and  that  of  a family.  Thus  the  great 
law  of  our  nature,  Be  fruitful  and  multiply,  having  no  check, 
supersedes  every  other,  carrying  before  it  classics,  science,  the 
fine  arts,  letters,  taste,  and  refinements  of  every  description, 
in  one  great  deluge  of  population. 

This  is  hardly  any  figure,  being  almost  literally  the  fact. 
As  applied  to  education,  its  effects  are  somewhat  of  the  fol- 
lowing nature.  A boy  who  hears  and  sees  nothing  all  round 
him  but  independence,  and  individual  license  to  do  almost 
any  thing,  very  soon  becomes  too  wild  for  his  father’s  house; 
and  off  he  is  sent  to  school.  When  there,  he  is  restless  him- 
self, and  the  cause  of  restlessness  in  others;  for  he  worries 
his  parents  till  he  accomplishes  his  purpose  of  going  to  col- 
lege. This  point  gained,  his  object  is  to  run  through  the  re- 
quired course  as  fast  as  possible,  get  his  examination  over, 
and  take  his  degree,  that  he  may  be  at  liberty  to  follow  the 
paths  of  his  predecessors,  and  scamper  away  to  the  fertile 
regions  of  the  west  or  south,  where,  whatever  betides  him,  in 
whatever  line  of  industry  his  taste  or  talents  may  be  cast,  he 
is  sure  of  being  able  to  support  a wife  and  children. 

This  appears  to  be  going  on,  with  slight  shades  of  differ- 
ence, over  the  whole  United  States,  and  is,  in  truth,  the  in- 
evitable consequence  of  their  geographical  and  political  situ- 
ation. The  Americans  assure  us  that  it  cannot  possibly  be 
altered.  Perhaps  not.  At  all  events,  it  must  be  submitted 
to,  but  whether  for  good  or  for  evil  is  not  now  the  question. 
The  real  point  is,  whether  or  not  any  modified  restraint  can 
be  placed  upon  the  operation  of  such  powerful  principles  of 
human  action  in  the  case  of  the  young  men  of  that  country, 
so  as  to  give  them,  along  with  their  present  advantages,  those 
also  which  spring  out  of  classical  knowledge?- — I fear  not. 

What  answer,  for  instance,  can  be  made  to  a lad  of  six- 
teen, who  sees  before  him  so  wide  and  tempting  an  area  for 
his  immediate  exertions  to  expand  themselves  in — who  is  cer- 
tain that  if  he  marries  to-morrow,  with  scarcely  a dollar  in 


UNITED  STATES. 


305 


his  pocket,  he  may  rear  up  half-a-dozen  children  in  as  many 
years,  and  maintain  them  in  abundance,  till  they  are  in  a 
state  to  shift  for  themselves  ? Or  who  begs  you  to  tell  him 
in  what  respect  Greek  and  Latin,  or  the  differential  calculus, 
will  advance  his  project  of  demolishing  the  wilderness,  and 
peopling  the  ground  where  it  stood  ? Or  how  a knowledge  of 
the  fine  arts  will  improve  the  discipline  of  a gang  of  negroes 
on  a rice  or  cotton  plantation?  You  can  really  say  nothing 
in  reply.  For  what  instruction  you  give  him  in  reading  and 
writing  he  is  most  grateful;  but  for  all  the  graces  of  litera- 
ture, or  the  refinements  of  science,  or  the  elegancies  of  po- 
lished societies,  he  cares  not  half  a straw.  In  fact,  they  are 
so  much  in  his  way,  that  if  he  chanced  to  have  picked  any  of 
them  up,  he  feels  tempted  afterwards  to  fling  them  from  hitn 
as  troublesome  encumbrances,  only  tending  to  excite  distrust 
in  those  unqualified  to  appreciate  such  attainments. 

I do  not  say  that  it  is  exactly  the  same  in  every  walk  of 
life;  for  the  church,  and  medicine,  are  professions  which  do 
certainly  require  considerable  study — I mean  some  farther 
degree  of  application  than  many  other  profitable  pursuits 
winch  stand  wide  open  to  the  youth  of  America.  Even,  how- 
ever, in  these  walks— I speak  now  from  the  authority  of  the 
Americans  themselves— there  is  the  greatest  possible  difficul- 
ty in  fixing  young  men  long  enough  at  college.  Innumerable 
devices  have  been  contrived,  with  considerable  ingenuity,  to 
remedy  this  evil,  and  the  best  possible  intentions,  by  the  pro- 
fessors and  other  public  spirited  persons,  who  are  sincerely 
grieved  to  see  so  many  incompetent,  half-qualified  men,  in 
almost  every  corner  of  the  country.  The  examinations  have 
been  made  more  strict* — the  courses  of  study  longer— the 
qualifications  higher,  and  so  on;  but  all  in  vain!  Nothing 
can  bind  them! 

When,  however,  it  is  recollected  that  in  America  the  voice 
of  the  multitude  regulates  every  thing,  and  is  in  fact  omni- 
potent, it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  there  ever  will  be  found, 
under  such  a state  of  things,  any  set  of  examinators  or  pro- 
fessors, or  other 'body  of  men,  whose  office  it  js  to  judge  of 
such  qualifications,  or  to  distribute  the  requisite  sanctions 
for  actual  business,  who  shall  not  be,  virtually,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  this  irresistible  popular  voice.  If  then  that  voice 
shall  require,  as  it  does  now  require— I do  not  ask  whethei 
- wisely  or  not— that  the  students  shall  be  let  out  into  the  world 
to  seek  their  fortunes,  no  conceivable  force  can  keep  them 
within  the  college  walls.  They  will  go  off  to  real  business 
in  spite  of  the  best  framed  laws  to  the  contrary,  or  the  sin 
cerest  desire  of  the  cooler  headed  part  of  the  community,  who 
Vol.  i.  27 


306 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


exert  themselves,  I must  say  very  gallantly,  to  prevent  the 
multifarious  evils  brought  upon  the  country  by  this  inevitable 
dissemination  of  so  much  crude  knowledge,  the  deleterious 
effects  of  which  are  not  greatly  remedied  by  their  being  ho- 
nestly exerted. 

This  is  not  mere  speculation,  but  what  I myself  saw,  and 
what  every  one  who  has  gone  over  America  must  have  seen, 
in  full  action  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  It  accords  ex- 
actly with  what  I was  told,  not  only  by  those  who  were  la- 
bouring hard  to  check  its  influence,  who  sincerely  loved  the 
cause  of  letters  and  science,  and  bitterly  deplored  their  down- 
fall, but  also  by  some  of  the  young  men  themselves,  the  act- 
ors in  this  singular  experiment  on  civil  society.  Even  these 
gentlemen  were  often  conscious  of  its  mischief,  they  told  me; 
but  added,  reasonably  enough,  that  no  one  could  be  expected 
to  keep  back  while  the  rest  of  the  world  was  progressing.  Thus 
many  people  are  forced  into  active  life,  long  before  the  time 
they  would  probably  have  chosen  to  come  forward,  had  the 
state  of  things  been  different;  that  is  to  say,  had  there  been 
any  steady  demand  in  society  for  higher  acquirements.  In  one 
word,  there  is  abundant  capacity  and  abundant  desire  to  learn 
in  America,  but  by  no  means  any  adequate  reward  for  learn- 
ing. There  are  exceptions,  no  doubt;  and  instances  might  be 
quoted  of  men  of  literature  and  science  whose  exertions  are 
well  repaid,  but  the  comparative  numbers  are  exceedingly 
small,  when  the  extent  of  the  population  is  taken  into  account. 

It  is  by  no  means  the  fashion,  however,  I may  observe,  to 
hold  this  language,  generally,  in  America,  even  under  the 
rose;  and  in  public  not  at  all.  On  the  contrary,  almost  every 
public  speaker  and  writer  cries  up  this  very  state  of  things 
as  the  perfection  of  human  society.  Nevertheless,  I will  not 
do  my  acute  transatlantic  friends  the  injustice  to  take  them 
literally  at  their  word;  for  I seldom  fell  in  with  a man,  to 
whom  I had  an  opportunity  of  talking  deliberately  on  the 
subject,  who,  if  he  were  clear-headed  in  other  respects,  and 
the  question  was  put  to  him  in  direct  terms,  did  not  appear 
to  admit,  that  the  country  was  by  no  means  the  better  of  all 
this  haste  and  consequent  want  of  solid  knowledge.  It  is 
most  true,  however,  that  I did  meet  many  more  persons,  who, 
even  in  a quiet  way,  did  not  go  along  with  me;  who  reso- 
lutely denied  the  evil,  distrusted  the  accuracy  of  my  picture, 
and  ascribed  the  whole  to  that  sort  of  delusion  which,  they 
tell  us,  comes  over  the  understanding  of  all  foreigners  the 
instant  they  touch  the  American  shore,  and  prevents  them 
from  seeing  the  character  of  the  people,  or  discovering  the 
operation  of  causes  which,  but  for  this  alleged  mysterious 


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307 


difficulty,  would  lie  within  the  reach  of  any  common  appre- 
iiension. 

I often  wished  that  these  persons  would  only  take  a small 
part  of  the  trouble  I was  bestowing  on  the  subject;  but  they 
were  generally  quite  satisfied  that  they  knew  every  thing 
about  it,  though  they  had  never  moved  out  of  their  own  state. 
In  this  matter,  however,  they  reasoned,  not  unnaturally,  that 
if,  as  they  supposed,  they  were  well  acquainted  with  every 
thing  in  England,  a fortiori,  they  must  know  ail  about  their 
own  country. 

I should  be  doing  much  injustice,  however,  to  many  sensn 
ble  persons  in  that  country,  with  whom  I made  the  most 
agreeable  and  instructive  acquaintance,  were  I not  to  except 
them  from  such  sweeping  remarks.  I met  some  gentlemen 
who  not  only  looked  these  domestic  evils  fairly  in  the  face, 
but  were  unaffectedly  desirous  of  hearing  how  such  matters 
really  stood  with  us,  and  often  begged  me  to  explain  anoma- 
lies which  had  long  puzzled  them. 

46  Pray  tell  me,’9  said  a friend  one  day,  44  how  it  is  that 
you  contrive,  in  England,  to  keep  your  young  men  of  family 
and  fortune  so  long  at  the  public  schools,  and  afterwards  at 
the  universities;  though  many  of  them,  from  all  I cai^hear, 
have  the  means  of  marrying  and  settling  in  life;  while  we,  in 
this  country,  find  it  next  to  impossible  to  keep  back  even  the 
poorest  lads?  They  insist  upon  being  allowed  to  go  off,  at  an. 
early  age,  to  the  unexplored  back  woods,  to  the  great  cities, 
or  to  try  their  fortune  on  the  ocean.  How  do  you  manage 
to  oppose,  with  success,  the  barren  classics  to  the  natural  de- 
sire of  settling  independently  in  the  world?5’ 

44  That  is  very  easily  explained,’’  I said.  44  In  the  first 
place,  we  do  not  maintain  the  doctrine  of  entire  indepen- 
dence, according  to  the  American  acceptation  of  the  word, 
to  be  a good  one.  Moreover,  with  us,  all  men  are  divided, 
into  ranks  or  classes,  which,  although  they  blend  insensibly, 
and  intermix  with  one  another  where  they  meet,  are  yet  very 
obviously  distinguished,  while  the  acknowledged  rights  anS 
privileges  of  each  are  scrupulously  preserved.  Every  one 
finds  out,  also,  in  the  long  run,  that  his  best  chance  of  suc- 
cess and  of  happiness,  consists  in  conforming  as  nearly  as 
possible  to  the  established  habits  of  that  branch  of  society  in 
which  he  happens  to  be  born,  or  which  he  may  reach  by  dint 
of  extraordinary  industry  or  good  fortune.  I may  even  add, 
that  without  doing  so,  no  man  is  considered  respectable. 
Every  class  has  its  own  peculiar  marks  by  which  it  is  distin- 
guished from  all  the  rest;  and  without  these  distinguishing- 
characters,  no  man  can  possibly  succeed  permanently  in  so 


308 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


ciety,  whatever  be  his  merits  in  other  respects.  In  the  learned 
professions,  in  the  Church,  in  the  Law,  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, in  the  Diplomatic  line,  and  some  others, — always  ex- 
cepting, as  you  know  very  well,  naval  captains  and  country 
squires — it  so  happens  that  a certain  amount  of  classical 
knowledge  has  been  settled  from  time  immemorial  as  the  in- 
dispensable mark  of  a gentleman.  And  as  that  amount  of 
learning  is  not  to  be  acquired  without  a long  course  of  hard 
study,  there  is  no  escaping  from  the  preliminary  ordeal  which 
experience  has  shown  that  this  requires.  So  that  even  if  the 
exact  degree  of  knowledge  I speak  of  be  not  ultimately  at- 
tained in  all  cases,  still  the  whole  protracted  ceremony  of 
education  must  be  gone  through;  otherwise  there  is  no  hope 
of  success  afterwards. 

44  Besides  which,”  I continued,  44  every  profession — in- 
deed, every  description  of  employment — in  England,  is  so 
much  overstocked,  that  men  are  compelled  to  wait  much 
longer  before  they  go  into  life  than  is  necessary  with  you, 
where  the  ground  is  comparatively  little  occupied.  We  are 
glad,  therefore,  to  find  employment  for  that  interval  of  inac- 
tion which  must  necessarily  elapse  between  boyhood  and 
manhood,  and  before  the  season  of  real  business  commences, 
in  giving  young  men  that  kind  of  knowledge  which  we  know 
by  experience,  does  essentially  contribute  to  their  happiness, 
by  purifying  their  taste,  filling  their  minds  early  with  images 
of  the  highest  excellence,  and  sharpening  all  those  faculties 
with  which  their  future  fortunes  are  to  be  carved  out.  Thus, 
before  men  come  into  contact  with  the  actual  world, — the 
bustling,  money-making,  intriguing  world, — their  thoughts 
and  their  feelings  are  well  disciplined,  and  their  manners 
tempered  by  habits  of  patience,  so  as  to  suit  any  particular 
description  of  duties  which  in  due  time  they  will  be  called 
upon  to  perform.” 

44  Yes,  sir,”  said  he;  44  all  that  is  very  true,  as  applied  to 
an  old  and  crowded,  artificial  state  of  society,  such  as  Eng- 
land; but  wherein  do  you  conceive  would  consist  the  advan- 
tage of  giving  our  young  men  in  America  the  same  amount 
of  classical  knowledge,  supposing  that  possible,  when  their 
present  and  future  lives  are  so  widely  different  from  yours  ?” 

44  Indeed,”  was  my  reply,  44 1 really  do  not  see  the  prac- 
tical utility  of  such  delays  and  refinements,  if  men  are  to 
follow  the  same  occupations  they  now  pursue  in  America.” 

44  Well,  then,”  continued  my  friend,  half  reproachfully, 
“don’t  you  think  you  should  be  cautious  in  finding  fault 
with  our  small  acquaintance  with  the  classics,  and  with 
many  other  things  which  differ  from  what  you  have  been  ac* 


UNITED  STATES. 


309 


cnstom.ed  to,  but  which  may,  nevertheless,  be  very  suitable 
to  us,  or,  if  not  so,  at  all  events  irremediable  in  this  coun- 
try ?” 

44 1 have  not  the  smallest  wish,”  I answered,  44  to  find 
fault,  if  you  would  only  let  things  go  on,  and  take  their 
chance  for  what  they  are  truly  worth ; but  what  calls  forward 
such  remarks  as  you  allude  to,  is  hearing  many  persons  in 
your  country  claiming  the  highest  degree  of  merit  in  these 
very  respects,  though  entirely  inapplicable  to  the  state  of 
your  country,  as  well  as  in  those  which  properly  belong  to 
you 3 thus  running  away  with  the  advantages  of  both  condi- 
tions,—-the  old  and  the  new.  You  are  not  content  with  pos- 
sessing  the  vigorous  pleasures  of  youth,  and  the  broad  field 
you  have  got  to  play  about  in,  but  you  claim  likewise  the 
wisdom  of  age,  and  the  refinements  of  a crowded  society.” 

64  In  what  respect  do  we  lay  in  this  double  claim?”  he 
asked. 

u Why,  I hear  every  where  in  America,  and  read  every 
where,  declarations  of  your  high-minded  ness  and  intelligence 
—not  an  hour  passes  that  I don’t  hear  of  your  improvements 
upon  us— and  of  the  immense  distance  you  have  shot  a-head 
of  Europe,  in  knowledge,  power,  wealth,  and  so  forth:  but 
when  I come  to  closer  quarters  with  the  claimants  of  these 
advantages,  said  to  have  been  gained  over  the  old  world,  and 
show  my  reasons  for  declining  to  concede  all  they  ask  for, 
they  turn  about  upon  me  and  sayi  4 Why,  sir,  you  make  no 
allowances  for  our  situation— we  are  a young  country— we 
want  only  time— we  are  really  getting  on  very  fast— do  not 
you  think  so  ?’  Thus,  without  any  actual  shift  of  wind,  they 
put  about  on  the  other  tack,  and  as  soon  as  their  sails  are 
trimmed  afresh,  seek  to  gain  those  favourable  concessions, 
on  the  score  of  wonderment,  which  the  real  nature  of  things 
denies,  and  for  which  self-praise,  let  me  tell  you,  is  but  a hol- 
low substitute.” 

44  Ah,  sir,”  sighed  my  worthy  friend,  I see  that  no  fo- 
reigner can  ever  be  made  to  understand  our  character.” 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 


We  left  Boston  on  the  23d  of  October,  1827,  after  a stay 
of  nearly  three  weeks,  greatly  pleased  with  the  place  and 

27* 


310 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


with  the  people;  and  much  gratified  as  well  as  flattered  by 
the  reception  we  had  every  where  met  with. 

The  fashion  of  living  at  boarding-houses  prevails  there,  as 
it  does  every  where  else  in  the  United  States;  and  we  were 
fortunate  in  meeting  a very  pleasant  party  of  fellow-lodgers 
at  the  house  where  we  remained  during  our  stay.  The  cold 
and  formal  habits  of  which  we  had  complained  in  most  other 
places,  were  exchanged  in  this  agreeable  city  for  a greater 
degree  of  frankness  than  we  had  seen  before.  The  gentle- 
men at  the  boarding-house,  indeed,  won  our  particular  regard 
by  the  friendly  attentions  they  paid  to  our  little  companion, 
who  was  often  left  at  home,  while  we  were  enjoying  the  hos- 
pitality of  our  other  acquaintances. 

I happened  to  look  into  the  dining-room  one  day,  upon 
hearing  the  child  screaming  with  delight,  when  I found  these 
good-natured  people  had  allowed  the  young  traveller  to  mount 
the  table,  and  to  run  backwards  and  forwards  from  one  end 
to  the  other.  Each  of  the  party  had  a segar  in  his  mouth, 
from  which  he  gave  her  little  ladyship  a broadside  of  smoke, 
as  she  passed  along  the  line,  according  to  the  best  principles 
of  naval  tactics. 

I had,  however,  many  sharp,  amicable  discussions  with 
my  friends  at  Boston,  on  the  thousand  and  one  topics  which 
arose  between  us;  but  I must  do  them  the  justice  to  say, 
that  I have  rarely  met  a more  good-natured,  or  perhaps  I 
should  say,  a more  good-tempered  people;  for  during  the 
whole  course  of  my  journey — though  I never  disguised  my 
sentiments,  even  when  opposed  to  the  avowed  favourite  opi- 
nions of  the  company— I never  yet  saw  an  American  out  of 
temper.  I fear  I cannot  say  half  so  much  for  myself;  for  I 
was  often  a good  deal  harassed  by  these  national  discussions, 
when  the  company  and  I took  our  station  on  the  opposite 
poles  of  the  question.  But  it  is  pleasant  to  have  it  in  my 
power  to  say,  that  I cannot  recall  a single  instance  in  which 
any  thing  captious,  or  personally  uncivil,  was  ever  said  to 
me,  though  I repeated,  openly,  and  in  all  companies,  every 
thing  I have  written  in  these  volumes,  and  a great  deal  more 
than,  upon  cool  reflection,  I choose  to  say  again. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  we  reached  Providence,  the  ca- 
pital o*f  the  state  of  Rhode  Island;  having  averaged  some- 
what liss  than  seven  miles  an  hour,  which  I record  from  be- 
ing considerably  the  quickest  rate  of  travelling  we  met  with 
any  where  in  America. 

From  Providence,  we  wished  to  proceed  to  Hartford  in 
Connecticut,  a distance  of  seventy-two  miles,  by  an  extra 
stage,  and  at  our  own  time;  for  we  found  it  very  unpleasant 


UNITED  STATES, 


311 


not  to  have  the  power  of  stopping  when  any  thing  interested 
ns.  The  stage  proprietor,  however,  would  not  let  us  have 
an  extra,  unless  we  paid  for  the  whole  nine  places.  Even 
this  I did  not  object  to,  though  we  had  generally  secured  the 
whole  carriage  for  the  hire  of  six  seats.  But  when  we  came 
to  understand  one  another,  it  proved  that,  even  if  I did  hire 
the  whole  vehicle,  still  the  time  was  not  to  be  our  own;  for 
if  the  conveyance  went  with  us  at  all,  it  must  start  at  a cer- 
tain hour,  and  run  straight  through  in  one  day,  without  stop- 
ping any  where.  As  this  was  defeating  the  object  in  view, 
and  the  proprietor  was  inexorable,  we  amused  ourselves  in 
walking  up  and  down  this  busy  town,  looking  in  at  every 
place  where  we  thought  carriages  or  horses  might  be  hired. 
But  there  was  not  a man  in  the  place  who  would  take  us  on 
any  terms;  and  at  last  vve  were  compelled  to  engage  our 
places  in  next  morning’s  mail  stage. 

The  nominal  hour  of  starting,  was  five  in  the  morning; 
but  as  everything  in  America  comes  sooner  than  one  expects, 
a great  tall  man  walked  into  the  room  at  ten  minutes  before 
four  o’clock,  to  say  it  wanted  half  an  hour  of  five;  and  pre- 
sently we  heard  the  rumbling  of  the  stage  coming  to  the  door, 
upwards  of  thirty  minutes  before  the  time  specified. 

Fortunately,  there  were  only  five  passengers,  so  that  we 
had  plenty  of  room;  and  as  the  morning  was  fine,  we  might 
have  enjoyed  the  journey  much,  had  we  not  been  compelled 
to  start  so  miserably  early.  At  the  village  of  Windham,  we 
dined  in  a cheerful  sunny  parlour,  on  a neatly  dressed  re- 
past, excellent  in  every  way,  and  with  very  pleasant,  chatty 
company.  The  whole  dinner  party  were  absorbed  in  vehe- 
ment discussions  respecting  the  endless  presidential  ques- 
tion, which  in  country  as  well  as  in  town,  appeared  to  occu- 
py all  men’s  minds,  morning,  noon,  and  night.  I joined  as 
well  as  I could  in  these  conversations,  though  sorely  per- 
plexed in  trying  to  follow  the  rambling  nature  of  these  New 
Englanders’  talk;  for  they  wandered  from  the  topic  to  the 
right  and  to  the  left  in  such  a way,  that  I often  quite  lost 
sight  of  the  original  point.  They  were  extremely  bitter 
against  General  Jackson,  one  of  the  candidates;  but  what  I 
then  thought  odd  enough,  they  were  not  much  more  favour- 
ably disposed,  individually,  to  Mr.  Adams,  his  opponent. 

We  made  out  our  seventy -two  miles  in  fourteen  hours  and 
a half,  or  nearly  five  miles  an  hour,  over  a rugged,  hilly, 
disagreeable  road  as  ever  was  seen.  When  going  up  the 
steep  parts,  the  pace  was  very  slow;  but  to  compensate  for 
this,  we  generally  galloped  down;  and  frequently,  also,  when 
the  ascent  was  short,  made  a noisy  canter  of  it,  right  up.  At 


312 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


every  four  or  five  miles,  we  stopped  to  water  the  horses,  and 
to  give  out  and  take  in  the  mail-hags,  which  were  never  rea- 
dy at  the  post-office.  Then  we  had  the  most  troublesome  of 
all  jobs  to  go  through,  that  of  changing  coaches,  no  less  than 
four  times;  all  these  things,  together  with  frequent  stops  to 
have  a gossip  and  a glass  of  brandy  made  the  day  seem  endless. 

In  the  course  of  the  25th  of  October,  spent  at  and  near 
Hartford  in  Connecticut,  we  visited  three  very  important 
public  establishments,  all  of  first  rate  excellence  in  their  res- 
pective lines.  The  State  Prison,  the  Asylum  for  the  Deaf 
and  Dumb,  and  the  Institution  for  the  Insane.  The  prison, 
or  penitentiary,  is  upon  the  Auburn  plan  already  described, 
where  the  separation  of  the  convicts  at  night  is  complete — 
hard  labour  and  silence  are  rigorously  enforced  throughout 
the  day — solitary  meals  in  the  cells — and  where  all  social  in- 
tercourse amongst  the  prisoners  is  effectually  interdicted;  no 
intercourse,  indeed,  of  any  kind  being  allowed,  excepting 
only  that  salutary  communication  which  every  one  of  them 
who  desires  it  is  at  liberty  to  hold  with  the  resident  clergy- 
man, on  Sundays.  This  excellent  establishment  had  been 
only  three  months  in  operation  when  we  saw  it;  but  such  ap- 
pears to  be  the  simplicity  of  all  parts  of  the  system,  that  every 
thing  had  fallen  into  its  place  with  the  precision  of  habitual 
order,  just  as  happens  with  the  machinery  of  military  or  naval 
discipline. 

The  Asylum  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  at  Hartford  has  the 
merit  of  being  the  earliest  institution  of  the  kind  established 
in  America.  It  is  under  admirable  management;  but  there 
is  nothing*  respecting  it  so  peculiar  as  to  call  for  particular 
notice. 

In  one  of  the  rooms  we  saw  a very  interesting  person,  a 
young  woman  born  deaf  blind,  and  dumb.  It  appeared  that 
some  of  the  other  girls  had  been  trying  to  bring  her  to  the 
room  in  which  we  were  standing,  which  attempts  had  discom- 
posed her  wonted  serenity  a little,  for  the  expression  of  her 
countenance  was  at  first  by  no  means  agreeable.  But  in  a 
few  minutes  Mr.  Gallaudett,  the  benevolent  and  able  mana- 
ger of  the  establishment,  by  patting  her  gently  on  the  cheek, 
pressing  her  hands  between  his,  and  using  other  little  blan- 
dishments which  he  knew  were  pleasing  to  her,  gradually 
brought  a smile  to  her  lips,  and  then,  certainly,  the  expres- 
sion of  her  countenance  was  most  engaging.  She  took  our 
hands,  felt  our  clothes  minutely,  took  my  watch  in  her  hand, 
examined  the  chain  and  seals,  and  seemed  desirous  of  show- 
ing that  she  knew  how  to  wind  it  up.  Her  numerous  mute 
companions  who  stood  round  us,  appeared  much  interested 


UNITED  STATES* 


313 


in  her*  A needle  and  thread  was  brought,  which  she  thread- 
ed by  the  assistance  of  her  tongue,  after  four  or  five  inelfec- 
tual  attempts. 

While  looking  at  a creature  differing  from  ourselves  in  so 
many  respects,  we  are  tempted  to  ask,  what  can  a mind  so 
circumstanced  be  thinking  of?  What  images — what  combi- 
nations of  ideas  can  it  be  contemplating?  It  is  like  conjec- 
turing what  the  inhabitants  of  another  planet  is  about!  In- 
deed, I felt  several  times  as  if  I were  in  the  presence  of  a 
being  of  a dilferent  order,  and  was  conscious  of  a.  feeling 
somewhat  akin  to  awe.  It  maybe  something  of  this  kind, 
perhaps,  which  makes  people  in  a rude  state  of  society  hold 
idiots  in  reverence.  May  it  not  be  that  they  seem  to  belong 
to  another  race;  and,  if  to  another,  why  not  to  a higher?  It 
is  true,  there  was  no  idiocy  in  this  case,  on  the  contrary  evi- 
dently the  workings  of  regulated  intellect;  but  how  regu- 
lated? or  how  employed?  were  questions  utterly  beyond  the 
reach  of  human  research. 

Every  one  is  now  familiar  with  the  peculiar  style  of  wri- 
ting of  these  cheerful-looking  and  happy  people,  the  deaf  and 
dumb;  but  I think  the  following  description  of  Niagara  may 
amuse,  as  well  as  instruct,  for  it  is  quite  as  intelligible  as 
any  other  with  which  I am  acquainted. 

“ Of  the  cataract.  By  a young  man  eighteen  years  of  age, 

born  deaf  and  dumb:— • 

u The  amazing  fall  that  is  naturally  made  by  the  Almighty, 
is  caused  by  the  source  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  in  which 
its  passage  runs  from  Lake  Erie  into  Lake  Ontario.  The  ca- 
taract is  called  the  Falls  of  Niagara.  It  is  uncertainly  said, 
that  it  is  the  largest  and  noblest  in  the  world.  It  is  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  perpendicular,  and  it  runs  like  a 
horse  shoe.  It  can  pour  its  waters  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
When  any  of  the  persons  visit  the  falls,  I think  he  is  amazing 
at  seeing  it,  that  makes  him  attack  it,  and  when  he  is  im- 
prudent, to  go  and  fall  violently  into  it.  It  is  useless  for 
the  fails  to  run  continually,  yet  it  makes  those  who  are  de- 
lighted to  see  its  curiosity.  It  is  said,  that  one  of  the  In- 
dians slept  in  a canoe  which  was  bound  to  the  root  of  a tree 
with  a rope,  when  a white  man  saw  him  asleep,  he  rejoiced 
that  he  broke  the  rope  out  of  the  root;  and  when  the  canoe 
was  afloat,  the  Indian  opened  hiseyes,  and  immediately  took 
his  oar  and  rowed;  but  he  left  it;  so  he  was  fond  of  drinking 
some  spirituous  liquors,  and  when  the  falls  swallowed  up 
the  canoe,  which  fell  down,  his  limbs  were  all  broken  and 
perished.5’ 

Our  last  visit  was  to  the  Connecticut  Retreat  for  the  In- 


314 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


sane.  The  title  given  to  it  will  recall  the  celebrated  estab- 
lishment for  the  same  benevolent  purpose  at  York.  At  Hart- 
ford, however,  the  moral  treatment,  and  the  system  of  gen- 
tleness, are  carried  even  still  farther,  as  I understand,  than 
in  England. 

Many  persons  approach  this  subject  with  disgust — some 
with  apprehension — and  all,  or  nearly  all,  when  they  first 
come  into  actual  contact  with  it,  with  feelings  of  great  un- 
easiness. A little  resolute  practice,  however,  soon  banishes 
these  unworthy  considerations,  or  it  reduces  them  within  all 
the  control  that  is  necessary  for  any  useful  investigation  of 
the  subject.  At  least  so  I found  it  in  America,  for  though  I 
could  never  bring  myself  to  examine  such  places  at  home, 
the  difficulty  vanished  when  the  trial  was  actually  made  as  a 
matter  of  duty.  But  I speak  upon  this,  and  upon  many 
other  points  in  these  American  inquiries,  with  much  and  sin- 
cere distrust  of  my  own  conclusions.  The  mere  wish  to  see 
and  to  represent  faithfully  is  not  enough.  It  is  not  very 
easy,  in  the  first  place,  to  get  at  everything  we  ought  to  ex- 
amine in  such  places,  in  order  to  form  a right  judgment  upon 
the  question  in  hand.  We  have  often  not  time,  and  still 
more  frequently  have  not  sufficient  preparatory  knowledge, 
to  make  the  proper  inquiries.  And  even  when  in  presence 
of  the  things  we  have  been  seeking  for,  how  difficult  is  it  to 
look  at  them  aright!  It  will  not  unfrequently  happen,  too, 
that  a casual  misconception  of  a fact,  sends  us  away  with 
more  error  than  knowledge;  and  I have  sometimes  seen  peo- 
ple of  good  sense,  visit  the  same  institution  on  the  same  day, 
and  even  in  the  same  company,  and  yet  leave  it  impressed 
%vith  very  opposite  opinions. 

Dr.  Todd,  the  eminent  and  kind  physician  in  charge  of  the 
retreat,  gladly  communicated  his  plans,  and  showed  us  over 
every  part  of  this  noble  establishment, — a model,  I venture  to 
say,  from  which  any  country  might  take  instruction.  The  in- 
stitutions at  Hartford,  which,  indeed,  are  not  to  be  excelled 
any  where,  not  only  do  high  honour  to  this  part  of  the  union, 
but  are  every  way  creditable  to  the  nation  generally. 

Dr.  Todd’s  method  is  to  treat  every  insane  patient  as  if 
he  were  a reasonable  being.  This  would  be  useless,  of  course, 
as  applied  to  idiocy,  or  that  class  which  bears  the  terrible 
name  of  Mania  Ferox;  but  even  with  them  he  observes  the 
same  principle  as  much  as  possible.  When  a patient  is 
brought  to  the  retreat,  the  physician  converses  with  him  free- 
ly; and,  without  attempting  to  deceive,  states  all  that  is 
known  of  his  case,  explains  that  he  is  brought  there  for  the 
purpose  of  being  cured  of  a disease  which  happens  to  affect 


UNITED  STATES. 


315 


his  mind,  as  it  might  have  done  his  body;  that  he  will  have 
every  possible  freedom  consistent  with  his  own  safety,  and 
the  comfort  of  his  friends;  but  that  he  must  conform  exactly 
to  the  regulations  established  for  the  good  order  of  the  house. 

The  same  cordial,  unreserved  system  is  pursued  from  first 
to  last;  and  even  if  there  be  no  cure  in  the  end,  still  it  must 
diminish  greatly  the  misery  of  the  patients.  Nor  need  I 
observe  how  much  a knowledge  of  this  fact  is  calculated  to 
alleviate  the  affliction  of  friends,  who,  after  all,  may  often 
be  the  parties  most  in  need  of  commiseration. 

In  practical  illustration  of  this  system.  Dr.  Todd'  carried 
us  to  a neatly  finished  parlour,  where  we  found  eight  or  ten 
females  seated  at  their  work.  Instead  of  show  mg  them  off 
like  monsters,  he  introduced  us  to  each  of  them,  and  encou- 
raged conversation  as  if  all  the  company  had  been  in  perfect 
health. 

It  is  curious  to  observe  how  much  the  fancy  sometimes 
takes  possession  of  the  thoughts  when  we  are  engaged  in 
such  desultory  inquiries.  At  the  Penitentiary,  we  fancied 
crime  was  written  in  every  countenance,  though  some  of 
these  culprits,  as  we  supposed  them,  proved  to  be  very  trust- 
worthy keepers!  Amongst  the  deaf  and  dumb,  the  sound  of 
a voice  made  us  start;  while  at  the  insane  establishment,  it 
looked  quite  strange  to  see  people  talking  in  company-— -as 
we  forgot  that  neither  silence  nor  solitude  were  characteris- 
tics there. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  report  of  the  visiting 
physicians  at  the  retreat  at  Hartford,  will,  I have  no  doubt, 
be  read  with  interest.  The  allusion  in  the  first  part  is  im- 
portant, and  gives  me  an  opportunity  of  saying,  that  all  over 
America,  I observed  that  in  such  offices  of  active  benevo- 
lence, the  share  taken  by  the  ladies  was  of  first-rate  practical 
consequence.  “ The  characters  of  the  keepers,  the  condi- 
tion and  treatment  of  the  individual  patients,  and,  through 
the  medium  of  the  ladies, — who  always  compose  a part  of 
the  committee  on  these  occasions,™ the  household  concerns  of 
the  institution,  have  been  examined  every  month,  by  your 
committee,  and  in  all  these  respects  we  are  enabled  to  speak 
with  decided  approbation. 

“Of  the  moral  and  medical  management  of  the  patients, 
the  committee  are  bound  to  give  a brief  detail;  as  the  general 
plan  of  treatment  adopted  at  this  institution  is  more  or  less 
original,  and  differs  in  some  material  respects  from  that  pur- 
sued at  any  other  hospital. 

“In  respect  to  the  moral  and  intellectual  treatment,  the 
first  business  of  the  physician,  on  the  admission  of  a patient, 


316 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


is  to  gain  his  entire  confidence.  With  this  view,  he  is  treat- 
ed with  the  greatest  kindness,  however  violent  his  conduct 
may  be,- — is  allowed  all  the  liberty  which  his  case  admits  of, 
and  is  made  to  understand,  if  he  is  still  capable  of  reflection, 
that  so  far  from  having  arrived  at  a mad-house,  where  he  is 
to  be  confined,  he  has  come  to  a pleasant'  and  cheerful  resi- 
dence, where  all  kindness  and  attention  will  be  shown  him, 
and  where  every  means  will  be  employed  for  the  recovery  of 
his  health.  In  case  coercion  and  confinement  become  neces- 
sary, it  is  impressed  upon  his  mind,  that  this  is  not  done  for 
the  purpose  of  punishment,  but  for  his  own  safety  and  that 
of  his  keepers.  In  no  case  is  deception  on  the  patient  em- 
ployed, or  allowed ; on  the  contrary,  the  greatest  frankness, 
as  well  as  kindness,  forms  a part  of  the  moral  treatments 
His  case  is  explained  to  him,  and  he  is  made  to  understand, 
as  far  as  possible,  the  reasons  why  the  treatment  to  which  he 
is  subjected  has  become  necessary. 

44 By  this  course  of  intellectual  management,  it  has  been 
found,  as  a matter  of  experience  at  our  institution,  that  pa- 
tients—who  had  always  been  raving  when  confined  without 
being  told  the  reason,  and  refractory,  when  commanded  in- 
stead of  being  entreated— soon  became  peaceable  and  docile. 

44  This  kind  treatment,  of  course,  does  not  apply  to  idiots, 
or  those  labouring  under  low  grades  of  mental  imbecility; 
but  it  is  applicable  to  every  other  class  of  mental  diseases, 
whether  maniacal  or  melancholic. 

44  In  respect  to  the  medical  and  dietetic  treatment,  it  also 
varies  essentially  in  the  main  from  the  course  adopted  at 
other  hospitals. 

44  Formerly,  patients  labouring  under  mental  diseases  were 
largely  medicated,  chiefly  by  emetics,  cathartics,  and  bleed- 
ing. At  the  present  time,  this  mode  of  treatment  has  given 
place  to  intellectual  and  dietetic  regimen,  in  most  European 
hospitals.  The  physician  of  our  institution  has  introduced 
a course  of  practice  differing  from  both  these,  but  partaking 
more  or  less  of  each.  He  combines  moral  and  medical  treat- 
ment, founded  upon  the  principles  of  mental  philosophy  and 
physiology.  In  one  class  of  cases  moral,  and  in  another  me- 
dical treatment,  become  the  paramount  remedies;  but  in  each 
class  of  cases  both  are  combined. 

“The  proportion  of  cures  which  have  been  effected  at  our 
retreat  has  satisfied  your  committee  that  the  mode  of  treat- 
ment there  adopted  is  highly  salutary  and  proper.  During 
the  last  year,  there  have  been  admitted  twenty-three  recent 
cases,  of  which  twenty-one  recovered,  a number  equivalent 
to  91  3-10  per  cent.  The  whole  number  of  recent  cases  in 


UNITED  STATES,  31*3 

Ike  institution  during  the  year  was  twenty-eight,  of  which 
twenty-five  have  recovered,  equal  to  89  2-10  per  cent. 

64  At  two  of  the  most  ancient  and  celebrated  institutions 
of  the  same  kind  in  Great  Britain,  the  per  centage  of  recent 
cases  cured  has  been  from  thirty-four  to  fifty-four.  In  our 
own  country,  at  two  highly  respectable  institutions,  the  re* 
cent  cases  cured  have  amounted  to  from  25  to  51  per  cent.55 

On  the  26th  of  October  we  proceeded  to  New  Haven,  which 
is  also  on  the  Connecticut,  and  is  considered,  alternately 
with  Hartford,  the  capital  of  the  state;  for  the  legislature 
meet  first  at  one  place,  and  the  next  year  at  the  other.  This 
clumsy  arrangement  requires  the  annual  transfer  backwards 
and  forwards  of  all  the  records  and  other  papers,  to  which 
reference  has  to  be  made  during  the  session.  It  reminds  one 
of  those  old  times,  when  parliament  met  one  session  at  Ox- 
ford, the  next  in  London. 

We  visited  on  our  way  an  establishment  recently  set  a-go- 
ing by  a very  spirited  private  individual,  in  rivalry  of  the  ce- 
lebrated Military  Seminary  at  West  Point,  which,  as  I have 
mentioned  before,  is  supported  at  the  public  expense.  The 
founder  and  manager  was  absent,  but  the  professor  of  ma- 
thematics received  us  most  kindly;  and  under  his  guidance 
we  inspected  the  different  parts  of  his  establishment,  which, 
though  not  yet  equal  to  its  model,  is  highly  creditable  to  the 
skill  and  industry  of  the  projector. 

While  we  were  talking  in  the  court-yard,  dinner  was  an 
nounced;  and  the  professor  begging  us  to  walk  with  him,  we 
entered  the  great  hall  together.  The  principal  body  of  the 
young  men,,  assembled  on  the  exercising  ground,  were  marched 
to  dinner,  to  the  sound  of  drum  and  fife,  in  very  good  order. 
About  a dozen  of  the  students,  however,  were  first  admitted 
as  carvers,  and  I stood  in  perfect  astonishment  at  the  scene 
which  ensued. 

In  all  countries,  old  as  well  as  new,  gentlemen,  to  their 
shame  be  it  said,  carve  abominably  ill;  but  I had  no  expecta- 
tion of  seeing  any  thing  so  primitive  as  what  now  took  place. 
The  meat  was  literally  hacked  and  torn  to  pieces.  In  a few 
minutes  afterwards,  at  a given  signal,  the  other  students  en 
tered,  and  there  commenced  such  an  exhibition  of  feeding— 
or  devouring,  I may  call  it,  as  would  have  excited  the  admi- 
ration of  a cormorant.  Some  of  the  youths  were  spooning 
great  lumps  of  meat  down  their  throats  with  their  knives,  while 
others  helped  themselves,  two  or  three  at  a time,  with  their 
own  knives  and  forks,  from  the  same  dish!  I really  never 
saw  any  thing  so  disagreeable. 

I relate  these  circumstances,  not  certainly  for  any  purpose 

Von.  i.  28 


018 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


of  ridicule,  nor  as  a matter  of  mere  curiosity,  but  in  the 
hope  that  the  disinterested  remarks  of  a stranger  may  con- 
tribute in  some  degree  to  remedy  so  grievous  a defect  in  good 
breeding,  as  that  just  described.  It  will  be  observed,  that  I 
have,  up  to  this  moment,  studiously  avoided  making  allusions 
in  my  narrative  to  any  of  those  points  in  domestic  manners 
which,  in  consequence  of  the  difference  between  American 
and  English  usages,  appear  repugnant  to  our  tastes.  But  I 
hope  that  in  speaking  of  this  public  establishment,  I shall 
have  given  no  offence,  by  taking  notice  of  an  evil  which  might 
so  easily  be  remedied.  In  what  respect,  it  may  be  asked, 
would  the  studies,  and  other  pursuits  of  young  men  at  these 
military  and  literary  seminaries,  be  injured  by  requiring  of 
them  to  cut  their  meat  decently,  and  eat  it  feisurely?  Or 
from  making  it  imperative  upon  them  to  deport  themselves 
at  table,  according  to  those  rules  and  customs  established, 
as  matters  of  course,  amongst  gentlemen  in  every  other  ci- 
vilized part  of  the  world  P 

Next  day,  we  did  a good  deal  of  duty  in  the  way  of  sight- 
seeing at  New  Haven.  Our  guide  was  Professor  Silliman — 
a gentleman  well  known  to  the  scientific  world  as  editor  of 
a valuable  philosophical  journal,  which  bears  his  name. 

Yale  College,  of  course,  was  the  chief  object  of  attrac- 
tion; and  it  was  extremely  agreeable  to  see  so  many  good 
old  usages  and  orthodox  notions  kept  up  as  rigorously,  all 
things  considered,  as  possible.  How  long  the  able  and  zeal- 
ous professors  of  this  celebrated  establishment  will  be  able 
to  stem  effectually  that  deluge  of  innovation  and  would-be 
improvements  in  doctrine,  discipline,  and  pursuits,  which  is 
sweeping  over  the  rest  of  the  country,  and  obliterating  so 
many  of  the  land-marks  of  experience,  I cannot  pretend  to 
say.  Meanwhile,  every  thing  that  came  under  my  notice, 
seemed  judiciously  regulated.  The  courses  of  study  were 
apparently  well  managed,  and  the  period  required  was  rather 
longer  than  we  had  heard  spoken  of  in  other  places.  But 
there  is  here,  I suspect,  as  in  every  other  institution  in  Ame- 
rica, almost  insuperable  difficulty  in  prevailing  upon  the  per- 
sons, essentially  most  interested,  to  remain  long  enough  in 
training  before  they  start  in  the  vehement  race  of  busy  life. 

After  an  early  dinner,  we  drove  out  of  the  town  to  the 
grave-yard,  one  of  the  prettiest  burying  places  I ever  saw. 
It  occupies  an  area  of  twenty  acres,  laid  out  in  avenues,  and 
divided  by  rows  of  trees  into  lots  for  the  , different  inhabitants. 
These  connecting  lanes  or  roads  are  not  gravelled,  but  laid 
down  in  grass,  as  well  as  the  intermediate  spaces,  which  are 
spotted  over  with  handsome  monuments  of  all  sizes  and 


UNITED  STATES.  319 

forms,  giving  a lively  instead  of  a gloomy  air,  to  the  whole 
scene. 

There  is  certainly  some  improvement  in  this,  compared 
with  the  practice  of  huddling  together  so  many  graves  in  the 
confined  space  round  the  places  of  worship  in  a populous 
city.  The  idea  of  death  and  its  earthly  consequences  is  said, 
and  probably  with  truth,  to  aid  the  purposes  of  religion.  But 
it  surely  does  not  follow,  that  these  purposes  are  less  useful- 
ly served  in  such  a cheerful  place  as  I have  been  describing, 
than  by  the  associations  connected  with  a soppy  churchyard, 
where  the  mourners  sink  ankle-deep  in  a rank  and  offensive 
mould,  mixed  up  with  broken  bones  and  fragments  of  coffins  % 
or  that  the  cause  of  virtue  is  advanced  by  the  recollection  of 
coughs,  colds,  and  rheumatisms  out  of  number,  caught  whilst 
half  a dozen  old  fellows,  with  long-tailed,  threadbare  black 
coats,  are  filling  up  a grave,  for  which  they  themselves  might 
seem  the  readiest  tenants. 

It  was  a biting  cold  day — but  the  sun  shone  out  pleasantly 
on  sea  and  land,  and  brightened  up  the  last  dying  tints  of 
the  autumn.  After  an  amusing  scramble,  we  gained  the 
brow  of  a basaltic  ridge  facing  the  south,  exactly  resembling 
in  its  geological  character,  in  height,  and  picturesque  appear- 
ance, the  well-known  cliff  called  Salisbury  Crags  near  Edin- 
burgh. The  only  difference  which  I could  discover  was  in 
this  ridge  being  clad  with  a forest  of  young  oak-trees,  amongst 
which  the  Cactus,  or  prickly  pear,  was  growing  in  great  luxu- 
riance. 

Our  next  visit  was  to  a place  of  considerable  interest,  and 
much  celebrated  in  the  early  histories  of  America.  It  seems 
that  three  of  those  bold  men  who  sat  in  judgment  upon  their 
king,  were  driven  to  New  England  in  1660,  after  the  Resto- 
ration, and,  during  the  anxious  period  which  succeeded, 
when  their  blood  was  eagerly  sought  for,  they  were  often 
compelled  to  fly  to  the  interior — then  a complete  wilder- 
ness. It  is  generally  believed  that  their  place  of  security 
was  a dark  cavern,  formed  by  the  overhanging  rocks,  a mile 
or  two  to  the  eastward  of  the  cliffs  just  mentioned.  The 
names  of  these  regicides  were  Goffe,  Whalley,  and  Dixwell, 
and  their  retreat  is  still  called  the  Judge’s  Cave. 

In  the  evening  I had  the  pleasure  of  being  introduced  to 
Mr.  Noah  Webster,  of  New  Haven,  a gentleman  who  has 
been  occupied  during  the  last  forty  years  of  his  life  in  pre- 
paring a dictionary  of  the  English  language,  which,  I find, 
has  since  been  published.  He  includes  in  it  all  the  technical 
expressions  connected  with  the  arts  and  sciences.  Thus 
giving,  he  hopes,  as  complete  a picture  as  possible  of  the 


320 


TRAVELS  IN  THE 


English  language,  as  it  stands  at  this  moment,  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic. 

We  had  a pleasant  discussion  on  the  use  of  what  are  called 
Americanisms,  during  which  he  gave  me  some  new  views  on 
this  subject.  He  contended  that  his  countrymen  had  not 
only  a right  to  adopt  new  words,  but  were  obliged  to  modify 
the  language  to  suit  the  novelty  of  the  circumstances,  geo- 
graphical and  political,  in  which  they  were  placed.  He  ful- 
ly agreed  with  me,  however,  in  saying,  that  where  there  was 
an  equally  expressive  English  word,  cut  and  dry,  it  ought 
to  be  used  in  preference  to  a new  one.  44  Nevertheless, ” 
said  he,  44  it  is  quite  impossible  to  stop  the  progress  of  lan- 
guage—it  is  like  the  course  of  the  Mississippi,  the  motion  of 
which,  at  times,  is  scarcely  perceptible*  yet  even  then  it 
possesses  a momentum  quite  irresistible.  It  is  the  same 
with  the  language  we  are  speaking  of.  Words  and  expres- 
sions will  be  forced  into  use,  in  spite  of  all  the  exertions  of 
all  the  writers  in  the  world.” 

4 4 Yes,”  I observed*  44  but  surely 'such  innovations  are  to 
be  deprecated?” 

44 1 don’t  know  that,”  he  replied.  44  If  a word  become 
universally  current  in  America,  where  English  is  spoken, 
why  should  it  not  take  its  station  in  the  language?” 

“ Because,”  I said,  44  there  are  words  enough  already*  and 
it  only  confuses  matters,  and  hurts  the  cause  of  letters  to  in- 
troduce such  words.” 

“But,”  said  he,  reasonably  enough,  44 in  England  such 
things  happen  currently,  and,  in  process  of  time,  your  new 
Words  find  their  way  across  the  Atlantic,  and  are  incorpo- 
rated in  the  spoken  language  here.  In  like  manner,”  he 
added,  44  many  of  our  words,  heretofore  not  used  in  Eng- 
land, have  gradually  crept  in  there,  and  are  now  an  acknow  - 
ledged part  of  the  language.  The  interchange,  in  short,  is 
inevitable*  and,  whether  desirable  or  not,  cannot  be  stopped, 
or  even  essentially  modified.” 

I asked  him  what  he  meant  to  do  in  this  matter  in  his  dic- 
tionary. 

44 1 mean,”  he  said,  44  to  give  every  word  at  present  in  ge- 
neral use,  and  hope  thereby  to  contribute  in  some  degree  to 
fix  the  language  at  its  present  station.  This  cannot  be  done 
completely*  but  it  may  be  possible  to  do  a great  deal.” 

I begged  to  know  w hat  he  proposed  to  do  w ith  those  wrnrds 
which  were  generally  pronounced  differently  in  the  two  coun- 
tries. 44  In  that  case,”  said  he,  44 1 would  adopt  that  which 
was  most  consonant  to  the  principles  of  the  English  language, 
as  denoted  by  the  analogy  of  similar  words,  without  regard- 


UNITED  STATES. 


321 


. ing  which  side  of  the  water  that  analogy  favoured.  For  ex- 
ample, you  in  England  universally  say  c/dvalry — we  as  ge- 
nerally say  sMvalry;  but  I should  certainly  give  it  accord 
ing  to  the  first  way,  as  more  consistent  with  the  principles 
of  the  language.  On  the  other  hand,  your  way  of  pronouncing 
the  word  deaf  is  def — ours,  as  if  it  were  written  deef;  and 
as  this  is  the  correct  mode,  from  which  you  have  departed,  1 
shall  adhere  to  the  American  way.” 

I was  at  first  surprised  when  Mr.  Webster  assured  me 
there  were  not  fifty  words  in  all  which  were  used  in  Ameri- 
ca and  not  in  England,  but  I have  certainly  not  been  able  to 
collect  nearly  that  number.  He  told  me  too,  what  1 did  not 
quite  agree  to  at  the  time,  but  which  subsequent  inquiry  has 
confirmed  as  far  as  it  has  gone,  that,  with  very  few  excep- 
tions, all  these  apparent  novelties  are  merely  old  English 
words,  brought  over  to  America  by  the  early  settlers,  beina 
current  at  home  when  they  set  out  on  their  pilgrimage,  and 
here  they  have  remained  in  good  use  ever  since. 

On  the  29th  October,  we  proceeded  in  a steam-boat  from 
New  Haven,  down  what  is  called  Long  Island  Sound,  and 
through  the  well-known  narrow  pass  which  bears  the  ominous 
name  of  Hell’s  Gates.  But  as  it  was  almost  dark  before  we 
reached  New  York,  we  were  deprived,  for  the  second  time, 
of  a view  of  this  noble  city  on  approaching  it  by  water. 

Next  morning  we  roved  about  the  streets,  which  now  as- 
sumed a familiar,  home  sort  of  look  to  our  eyes.  All  that 
visionary,  dreamy  kind  of  effect  which  the  strange  mixture 
of  new  and  old  objects  had  excited  on  first  landing  from  Eng 
land,  had  so  completely  fled,  that  I could  with  difficulty  re 
call  even  a trace  of  it  to  my  mind.  The  experience  of  five 
months’  travelling,  and  the  perpetual  references  to  New 
York,  and  to  persons  and  things  connected  with  it,  had  given 
it  an  established,  local  habitation  in  our  thoughts.  We  were 
soon,  indeed,  made  still  more  sensible  of  our  sympathy  with 
it,  by  the  renewed  attentions  and  kind  offices  of  every  de- 
scription on  the  part  of  friends,  who  would  give  the  charac- 
ter of  home  to  any  quarter  of  the  world. 

On  going  to  the  custom-house  one  day,  I found  that  a box 
of  dresses,  and  other  things,  all  liable  to  duty,  had  arrived 
in  our  absence.  In  the  bill  of  lading,  these  articles  had  been 
accidentally  styled  merchandise,  which  created  some  diffi- 
culty. 44 1 suppose  they  are  things  that  have  been  worn?’: 
said  the  collector  to  me,  with  the  good-natured  air  of  a man 
wishing  to  be  civil,  and  anxious  to  discover  an  opening  by 
which  his  official  strictness  might  escape.  I was,  however, 
obliged  to  say  that  I feared  not  one  of  the  things  had  yet 

28* 


322 


TRAVELS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


been  on.  1 bethought  me,  however,  of  a method  of  coming 
to- the  same  point.  44  They  will  all,”  I said,  64  most  proba- 
bly be  worn  out  in  travelling  over  this  country;  and  if  your 
wish  be,  as  I have  no  doubt  it  is,  to  contribute  to  our  peace 
and  comfort  on  the  journey,  you  may  certainly  assist  us, 
by  letting  this  finery  pass  without  delay.,?  I saw  by  the  smile 
which  this  speech  produced,  that  the  captive  wardrobe  was 
about  to  be  released;  and  accordingly  the  docket  or  cocket. 
or  whatever  it  was,  being  instantly  signed,  the  goods  and 
chattels  were  delivered  from  bondage  in  ten  minutes  l 


END  OF  VOLUME  FIE  ST. 


